PEOPLE  AT 
PISGAH 


people  at 


BY 

EDWIN   W.   SANBORN 


NEW   YORK 

D.    APPLETON   AND   COMPANY 
1892 


COPYRIGHT,  1892, 
Bv  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


PRINTED  AT  THE 
APPLETON  PRESS,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS. 


PAOE 

I. — THE  CORTRIGHT  DIAMOND,  .  .      1 

II. — A  LANDMARK  IN  THEOLOGY,  .  .11 

III. — AN  INTERRUPTED  REPAST,  .  .  .25 

IV. — A  HERBIVOROUS  JEWEL,  CASE,  .  .     44 

V. — A  MOSAIC  REMEDY 65 

VI. — A  LOQUACIOUS  ESCULENT,  .  .  .81 

VII. — A  MIDNIGHT  SOMERSAULT,  .  .     91 

VIII.— A  FAIR  EXCHANGE,     .        .  .  .104 

IX. — AN  INTERESTING  OBSTACLE,  .  .114 

X. — AN  AMATEUR  PERFORMANCE,  .  .  126 

XI. — AN  INEXHAUSTIBLE  MINE,  .  .  .   145 

XII.— A  CONVIVIAL  REUNION,       .  .  .161 

XIII.— THE  ECUMENICAL  CONGRESS,  .  .   173 


PEOPLE  AT  PISGAH. 


i. 

THE    CORTRIGHT   DIAMOND. 


the  dusk  of  an  early  summer 
evening  the  towering  front  of  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee's  church  loomed 
up  on  Madison  Avenue,  massive 
and  solemn.  Around  the  corner  its  gray 
buttresses  and  sombre  gothic  windows 
stretched  back  in  long  vista  into  the  shadows. 
In  the  ivy-covered  chapel  beyond,  the  lights 
of  the  mid-week  meeting  gleamed  cheerily 
on  passers-by  until  long  after  the  dusk  had 
deepened  into  darkness  It  was  not  uncom 
mon  for  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  to  be  thus  de 
tained  at  the  close  of  the  mid-week  service. 
When  the  last  word  of  benediction  was 
spoken,  and  the  people  crowded  into  the 
aisles  and  moved  slowly  out,  there  were  al 
ways  some  who  stayed  to  exchange  friendly 
1 


people  at 


greetings,  or  to  discuss  the  many  plans  of  a 
great  church  organization.  With  so  many 
city  homes  deserted  for  the  summer  the 
chapel  had  seemed  scantily  filled ;  but  the 
announcement  of  the  death  of  Courtland 
Cortright  led  an  unusual  number  to  linger 
after  the  service.  They  gathered  around 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  as  he  stepped  down  from 
the  desk  to  speak  in  hushed  voices  of  the  sad 
event,  and  of  the  change  it  seemed  to  ne 
cessitate  in  their  pastor's  plans. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  accepted  a  flatter 
ing  invitation  to  deliver  the  closing  address 
at  the  Interdenominational  Ecumenical  Con 
gress  soon  to  meet  at  Saratoga,  but  with 
the  assembling  of  the  Congress  close  at  hand, 
the  pressure  of  pastoral  duties  had  precluded 
any  preparation  for  that  event. 

The  deliberations  of  the  Congress  were  to 
cover  a  period  of  nearly  two  weeks,  commenc 
ing  on  the  following  Sabbath.  Though  the 
discourse  of  Dr.  VanNuynthlee  was  reserved 
for  the  final  session,  he  wished  to  reach 
Saratoga  as  soon  as  circumstances  would  per 
mit.  To  complete  the  task  before  him  at 
the  earliest  moment  possible,  he  determined 
to  pass  the  intervening  days  in  absolute  rural 
seclusion.  A  friend  had  commended  North 


Cortrtflbt  Diamond. 


Pisgah  in  Northern  Vermont  as  admirably 
suited  to  the  doctor's  purpose,  and  it  had 
been  arranged  accordingly  that  he  should 
set  out  on  the  morrow  for  Pisgah,  and  for 
the  farm-house  of  Deacon  Meshach  Meiggs. 

The  message  announcing  the  death  of  Mr. 
Cortright  had  urgently  requested  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee's  presence  at  the  funeral,  and, 
while  he  was  oppressed  by  the  thought  that 
every  instant  was  precious,  the  immediate 
duty  before  him  seemed  imperative.  After 
earnest  consultation,  in  which  it  was  sug 
gested  that  a  desirable  route  to  the  Green 
Hills  would  carry  him  near  the  Cortright 
estates,  he  decided  to  postpone  his  departure 
and  perform  the  last  offices  for  his  old 
parishioner. 

On  his  arrival,  two  days  later,  at  the  deso 
late  manor  on  the  Hudson,  Dr.  Van  Nuynth- 
lee  learned  of  a  simple  trust  which  Courtland 
Cortright  in  his  closing  hours  had  committed 
to  his  pastor. 

He  had  directed  that  a  certain  jewel,  long 
an  heirloom  in  the  family,  be  placed  in  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee's  charge  until  the  return  of 
Mrs.  Cortright,  who  was  travelling  with  an 
invalid  sister  abroad.  The  jewel  was  a  dia 
mond  set  in  a  gold  brooch,  guarded  with  a 


at  ptsgab. 


strong  pin  and  clasp.  Though  a  gem  of  ex 
traordinary  size  and  value  it  attracted  special 
notice  by  its  rare  color,  a  peculiar  tinge  of 
red,  imparting  a  soft  radiance  unlike  the 
showy  glitter  of  a  clear  white  brilliant.  In 
repose  it  sparkled  with  this  warm,  ruddy 
light,  but  there  were  times  when  it  could ' 
dazzle  with  its  rich  lustre,  or  startle  with  a 
fiery  gleam.  The  stone,  though  roughly  cut, 
was  preserved  without  change  as  a  souvenir 
of  early  family  history. 

Near  the  dawn  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
Courtlandt  van  Kourtright,  the  younger  son 
of  a  wealthy  merchant  of  Haarlem,  had  sailed 
with  the  hardy  navigator  Jacob  Heemskerk 
on  a  voyage  to  the  golden  regions  of  Cathay. 

While  coasting  along  the  Malay  Peninsula, 
they  learned  of  the  arrival  in  the  Straits  of 
Malacca  of  a  great  Lisbon  carack  laden  with 
the  richest  merchandise ;  pearls,  spices,  silks, 
costly  fabr '  cs,  and  precious  stones.  The  fear 
less  Heemskerk  with  his  two  galleots  attacked 
and  captured  the  huge  vessel,  and  this  dia 
mond  had  fallen  to  the  lot  of  Courtlandt  van 
Kourtright  as  his  share  of  the  spoil. 

As  they  learned  in  sailing  homeward  along 
the  Indian  coast,  the  stone  had  been  found 
half  a  century  earlier  near  Golconda,  and 


Gortrigbt  SMamcmfc. 


was  owned  by  sovereigns  of  central  India, 
until  Shah  Tekbar  of  Delhi,  on  coming  to 
the  Mogul  throne,  bestowed  it  upon  a  re 
nowned  temple  of  Brahma  as  a  pledge  of  his 
promise  to  treat  all  religions  with  equal  re 
spect. 

In  the  inmost  sanctuary  of  a  Hindoo  pa 
goda,  on  the  shrine  of  a  hideous  idol,  in  the 
weird  light  of  smoking  incense  and  flaring 
torches,  the  strange  stone,  to  the  eye  of  su 
perstition,  gleamed  and  glittered  with  con 
scious  supernatural  life. 

Its  favored  votaries,  tradition  said,  might 
turn  its  piercing  ray  into  the  dim  realms 
of  spirit,  and  conjure  up  mysterious  visions 
of  the  past  and  shadowy  forms  of  the  de 
parted. 

Stolen  by  a  sacrilegious  priest,  it  had  been 
carried  to  Damaun  on  the  distant  sea-coast 
and  sold  to  the  Portuguese  traders,  whose 
carack  lay  at  anchor  in  the  harbor.  Van 
Kourtright  trusted  in  his  red  diamond  as  a 
magic  talisman  and  carried  it  throughout  a 
life  of  adventurous  service.  The  gold 
brooch,  which  formed  its  present  setting, 
repaid  examination  not  less  than  the  jewel  it 
encircled.  On  its  surface,  though  marred 
and  discolored,  could  still  be  traced  the  deli- 


people  at 


cate  engraving  of  some  quaint  device.  It 
was  prized  as  a  relic  of  the  memorable  siege 
of  Haarlem,  in  which  the  Van  Kourtrights 
had  played  an  honorable  part.  Before  the 
carnivals  of  image-breaking  the  churches  of 
Haarlem  were  rich  in  the  accumulated  offer 
ings  of  wealthy  penitence.  Cathedrals  were 
adorned  with  masterly  paintings  and  sacred 
images,  and  filled  with  all  the  symbolic  shapes 
of  art  which  ages  of  formalism  had  invested 
with  mystic  meaning.  Near  the  close  of  the 
siege  the  people  of  Haarlem  stripped  the 
churches  of  such  splendid  trappings,  and 
destroyed  the  treasured  adornments  of  gen 
erations.  The  most  pious  emblems  and 
precious  ornaments  were  paraded  on  the 
ramparts  in  mock  procession  and  profanely 
shattered. 

A  century  later,  workmen  removing  a  por 
tion  of  the  old  city  wall  upturned  a  mass  of 
broken  relics,  which  were  carried  to  the  bur 
gomaster  and  attracted  general  interest. 
The  markings  beneath  the  incrusted  grime 
upon  certain  fragments  proved  them  remnants 
of  the  sacred  heart,  which  had  hung  so  long 
in  the  great  cathedral.  On  the  fragile  golden 
plate  which  formed  the  sacred  heart,  some 
cunning  artist  had  graven  in  fine  network 


Cbe  Cortrfgbt  Diamond. 


the  devices  which  figured  in  the  symbolic 
language  of  the  mediaeval  church. 

Through  these  quaint  markings  ran  a 
tracery  of  the  signs  and  magic  numbers  of 
astrology.  A  belief  that  the  sacred  heart 
had  received  the  benediction  of  the  Chief 
Pontiff,  and  been  gifted  with  miraculous 
powers,  increased  the  pious  awe  with  which 
it  was  long  regarded.  It  was  not  strange 
that  such  eloquent  mementoes  of  the  Re 
public's  gloomy  beginnings  were  carefully 
preserved. 

When  the  old  Van  Kourtright  stock  came 
to  an  end,  a  fragment  of  the  sacred  heart  in 
possession  of  that  family  was  sent  to  the 
thriving  branch  of  the  house  in  the  New 
World ;  and  as  it  had  seemed  fitting  to  unite 
these  two  heirlooms,  the  historic  gold  had 
been  shaped  roughly  into  a  brooch  and  used 
as  a  setting  for  the  Indian  jewel. 

In  the  mind  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee,  the 
romantic  souvenir  awoke  a  train  of  memories 
which  had  long  slumbered ;  and  far  into  the 
night  he  mused  at  his  window  looking  out 
over  the  broad  star-lit  river.  He  recalled 
the  day  sixteen  years  ago  when,  summoned  to 
the  old  manor  upon  a  like  errand,  he  had 
found  Courtland  Cortright  stricken  by  the 


people  at 


loss  of  his  only  son,  with  whom  were  buried 
the  hopes  and  ambitions  of  the  Cortright 
name. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  known  Cortright 
as  a  man  engrossed  in  prosperous  business; 
but  from  that  day  all  interest  in  his  former 
work  was  gone.  Retiring  from  business,  he 
sought  diversion  in  travel  and  congenial 
studies.  A  taste  for  antiquarian  research 
first  turned  his  attention  to  the  annals  of  his 
own  family,  but  his  inquiries  soon  took  a  wider 
range.  Having  learned  the  Dutch  tongue, 
he  spent  many  months  in  the  Low  Countries 
examining  records  and  memorials,  delving 
among  the  royal  archives  at  The  Hague  and 
the  public  records  of  Haarlem,  deciphering 
ancient  manuscripts  and  sifting  time-honored 
traditions.  On  his  return  he  continued  his 
researches  at  home,  finding  abundant  ma 
terials  in  the  collections  of  the  New  York 
Historical  Society  and  the  manuscripts  in 
the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  at  Albany, 
as  well  as  valuable  papers  in  his  own  posses 
sion.  The  result  of  these  labors  was  never 
given  to  the  public,  except  as  he  recited 
brief  stories  like  that  of  the  red  diamond, 
which  his  patience  had  unravelled  from  a 
tangled  skein  of  legend  and  tradition.  But 


<Ibe  Cortrfgbt  Diamond 


his  manuscripts,  if  published,  would  do 
much  to  lift  the  veil  by  which  the  charming 
humor  of  genius  has  obscured  the  real  life 
and  character  of  the  Dutch  settlers  of  New 
York. 

The  later  years  had  not  been  devoted  to 
regular  literary  work,  but  his  thoughts  still 
loved  to  dwell  upon  the  olden  time. 

In  his  favorite  seat  by  the  great  fireplace 
in  the  long  winter  evenings,  as  he  held  the 
deep-tinged  jewel  before  the  flickering  flames, 
he  could  Well  feel  how  superstition  had  gifted 
it  with  strange  potency.  At  such  an  hour 
the  old  mansion  was  peopled  with  shadowy 
shapes,  and  as  brilliant  spectacles  or  gloomy 
scenes  of  tragedy  passed  in  succession,  he 
loved  to  indulge  the  fancy  that  he  held  in 
his  hand  a  charm  to  conjure  up  these  visions 
of  the  past. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee,  who  often  enjoyed 
the  hospitality  of  the  manor,  had  come  to 
understand  the  inner  life  of  his  friend  and 
his  regard  for  the  diamond  brooch  which 
was,  more  than  anything  else,  its  outward 
token.  Thus  he  accepted  his  trust  without 
considering  it  either  odd  or  trivial. 

He  perceived  that  Cortright,  in  the  ab 
sence  of  his  wife,  had  taken  comfort  in  the 


10  people  at 


assurance  that  the  treasured  jewel,  without 
falling  into  the  hands  of  strangers,  would 
pass  directly  to  the  care  of  his  pastor,  to  be 
delivered  to  Mrs.  Cortright  on  her  return  as 
a  precious  parting  gift. 

Its  safe  keeping  caused  the  doctor  a  shade 
of  uneasiness,  but  it  happily  occurred  to  him 
to  wear  the  brooch,  securely  pinned  upon  his 
shirt-front,  beneath  his  high  waistcoat  ;  and 
in  the  hill  country  whither  he  now  turned, 
he  constantly  carried  the  gem  in  that  po 
sition. 


II. 

A   LANDMARK    IN  THEOLOGY. 


T  was  afternoon  on  Saturday  when 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  reached  the 
comfortable    home    of     Deacon 
Meiggs  after  a  dusty  drive  from 
the  station  at  Dothan  Mills. 

At  Saratoga  the  delegates  to  the  Inter 
denominational  Ecumenical  Congress  were 
already  gathering. 

The  Ecumenical  Congress  is  so  fresh  in  the 
public  mind,  that  the  compliment  paid  to 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  needs  little  comment. 
After  the  addresses  upon  special  topics,  and 
the  varied  exercises  *and  discussions  which 
were  to  form  the  regular  routine  of  the 
assembly,  it  had  been  wisely  decided  to  de 
vote  the  closing  session  to  a  more  compre 
hensive  discourse,  which  should  review  the 
general  trend  of  religious  thought  and  define 
the  position  of  systematic  theology. 

For  the  preparation  of  such  an  address, 
designed  to  summarize  and    pronounce  the 
11 


is  people  at 


convictions  of  such  a  convention,  a  week 
afforded  scant  opportunity.  But  the  es 
sential  data  were  already  collated.  Of  the 
line  of  thought  to  be  followed  by  preceding 
speakers  the  doctor  was  advised  by  corre 
spondence,  and  the  work  before  him  was 
chiefly  in  arranging  and  condensing  the 
ideas  which  crowded  upon  his  mind,  and  of 
dressing  the  whole  in  the  elegant  style  and 
impressive  diction  of  which  Doctor  Van 
Nuynthlee  is  an  acknowleged  master.  For 
this  work  no  conditions  could  have  been 
more  favorable.  The  deacon's  family  he 
seldom  met.  His  breakfast  was  taken  alone, 
except  when  he  was  joined  by  Major  Peavy, 
a  retired  army  officer,  and  his  invalid  wife. 
The  Peavys  had  spent  several  summers  at 
Pisgah,  the  climate  being  as  favorable  as  any 
to  Mrs.  Peavy's  health  and  the  major  believ 
ing  it  helpful  for  an  irritating  rheumatic 
trouble  from  which  he  suffered. 

The  isolation  gave  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee 
opportunity  for  communion  with  self  to 
which  he  had  been  long  a  stranger.  There 
were  moments  when  a  glimpse  of  the  Cort- 
right  diamond  would  suddenly  turn  his 
thoughts  from  the  work  before  him,  and  he 
would  find  himself  drawn  into  a  sad  reverie. 


B  XanDmarfc  in 


Musing  over  the  mysterious  gem,  he  was 
conscious  of  breathing  the  atmosphere  in 
which  Courtland  Cortright  had  lived,  and  in 
receiving  the  talisman  he  seemed  for  the 
time  to  have  come  under  its  magic  spell. 
Certain  it  was  that  memories  of  his  early 
life,  dimmed  by  long  years,  revived  with 
strange  distinctness  —  his  childhood,  school 
days,  and  university  life  ;  the  disappointment 
in  regard  to  his  expected  marriage,  which 
had  changed  the  whole  tenor  of  his  life; 
then  his  studies  in  theology  and  establish 
ment  in  the  ministry. 

The  coming  autumn  would  bring  the 
twentieth  anniversary  of  his  installation  in 
his  present  charge,  and  often  as  he  sat  at  his 
open  window  in  the  still  twilight,  his 
thoughts  ran  back  over  this  score  of  busy 
years.  His  life  had  been  a  lonely  one  ;  yet  he 
had  hardly  realized  its  loneliness.  Wedded  to 
his  work,  his  only  wish  was  to  hide  and  for 
get  the  longings  of  his  own  heart.  Only 
within  a  few  years,  as  his  early  sorrow  be 
came  dimmed  and  chastened  by  the  flight  of 
time,  was  he  conscious  of  any  change.  Even 
now  he  had  scarcely  admitted  to  himself  that 
he  thought  of  changing  his  single  estate. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  pastor  of  a  great 
2 


14  people  at  ptegab. 

metropolitan  church,  imposing  and  distin 
guished  in  appearance,  brilliant  and  attrac 
tive  in  intellect,  could  not  remain  unmarried 
for  a  score  of  years  without  being  tried  by 
much  admiration  and  many  admonitions. 
From  time  to  time  his  friends  had  hinted 
that  his  life  might  be  brightened  and  his 
public  influence  increased,  if  his  home  were 
graced  by  a  lady's  presence.  He  could  not 
be  unaware  of  a  feeling  that  there  was  need 
in  the  social  and  practical  life  of  the  church 
for  the  guiding  spirit  of  a  minister's  wife. 
But  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  made  his  wishes 
so  plainly  understood,  that  his  unmarried 
state  had  come  to  be  regarded  as  a  settled 
and  unalterable  fact.  To  this  general  con 
sent  there  was  perhaps  a  single  exception. 
Miss  Prudence  Winthrop,  as  one  might  see 
at  a  glance,  was  a  woman  of  strong  will  and 
steady  purpose.  It  was  now  a  year  since 
family  changes  had  induced  her  to  leave  her 
stately  home  in  Beacon  Street  to  reside  with 
her  married  sister  in  New  York,  a  member 
of  the  Murray  Hill  Church. 

Miss  Winthrop  was  a  tall,  stately  lady  of 
rather  slender  figure,  with  a  face  much  ad 
mired  for  its  strong,  intellectual  expression 
and  clear,  classic  outlines.  She  possessed 


B  ILan&marfc  in  £beolog£.  is 

that  invaluable  gift  called  "  executive 
ability,"  and  being  devoted  to  philanthropic 
labors  was  an  efficient  manager  of  church 
work  and  charitable  enterprises.  Miss  Win- 
throp,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  was  not  long 
an  attendant  upon  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's 
ministrations  without  becoming  impressed 
with  the  idea  that  the  position  of  pastor's 
wife  in  the  Murray  II ill  Church  would  be 
one  well  suited  to  her  tastes  and  ambition. 
Such  an  alliance  would  insure  her  a  leader 
ship  in  that  management  of  affairs  in  which 
she  delighted,  while  according  with  her  views 
of  social  distinction ;  and  of  course,  as  a  chief 
consideration,  she  admired  the  doctor's  pre 
eminent  abilities,  and  was  attracted  by  his 
powerful  personality. 

Thus  as  time  went  on,  she  came  to  a  final 
and  mature  decision  to  marry  Theodore  Van 
Nuynthlee. 

In  her  native  Boston  Miss  Winthrop  had 
been  the  recognized  leader  in  all  good  works, 
and  the  regret  expressed  at  her  departure 
was  almost  universal.  Yet  one  so  prominent 
could  hardly  have  avoided  the  petty  criticism 
of  a  few  envious  minds,  and  there  were  some 
uncharitable  persons  who  expressed  relief  at 
being  freed  from  the  oppressive  influence  of 


16  people  at 


Miss  Winthrop's  domination.  In  her  new 
surroundings  the  most  careful  observer  could 
hardly  have  suspected  her  design,  and  yet  it 
was  soon  remarked  that  Miss  Win  throp  would 
be  exactly  the  person  for  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee 
to  marry.  And  the  doctor  himself,  all  un 
consciously,  was  being  drawn  into  the  snare. 
He  had  never  uttered  a  definite  expression 
of  his  sentiments,  yet  felt  that  a  mutual  un 
derstanding  had  grown  up  between  them, 
and  that  in  some  indefinable  way  he  was 
under  obligation  to  make  her  a  proposal  of 
marriage. 

While  the  surface  currents  of  Theodore 
Van  Nuynthlee's  life  seemed  drifting  in  this 
direction,  a  simple  incident,  like  a  ray  of 
clear  sunlight,  chanced  to  reveal  the  real 
course  of  his  heart's  undercurrents.  One 
Sunday  in  the  autumn  before  his  present 
vacation,  he  had  taken  his  place  in  the  pulpit 
and  while  the  ushers  Avere  arranging  seats 
in  the  aisles  for  the  throngs  waiting  about 
the  doors,  was  busied  in  looking  over  the 
hymns  of  the  morning  service  and  the  notices 
for  the  week.  Then,  as  he  raised  his  head 
and,  glanced  over  the  congregation,  his  eyes 
fell  upon  a  face  which  strangely  attracted  him. 
The  lady  upon  whom  his  gaze  rested  possessed 


B  Xan&marfc  in  GbeologB.  17 


a  face  and  figure  to  charm  the  eye  under  any 
circumstances,  yet  the  clergyman  would 
have  been  puzzled  to  explain  what  it  was 
that  checked  his  sweeping  glance,  and  sent 
a  flood  of  warm  color  to  his  face.  Per 
haps  there  was  some  indefinable  expression, 
which  reminded  him  of  the  love  of  his  early 
days. 

But  now  the  strains  of  the  organ  had  ceased, 
the  great  audience  was  seated,  and  quickly 
recalling  his  wandering  thoughts  he  turned 
to  the  services  of  the  morning.  Dropping 
in  a  few  days  later  upon  the  Livingstons, 
his  near  neighbors  and  intimate  friends,  he 
had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  the  lady  who 
had  attracted  his  notice  on  the  Sabbath. 
She  was,  as  he  learned,  a  cousin  of  Mrs.  Liv 
ingston  and  a  native  of  New  York,  but  since 
her  marriage  to  the  late  Robert  Suydam,  Jr., 
well  known  in  Virginia  for  his  great  wealth 
and  boundless  hospitality,  she  had  resided 
upon  her  husband's  estates  near  Richmond; 
until,  after  three  years  of  lonely  widowhood, 
a  longing  for  her  early  home  had  brought 
her  again  to  New  York. 

As  he  walked  slowly  homeward  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee  could  not  but  feel  that  as  the 
momentary  impression  of  Sunday  morning 


18  people  at 


had  become  more  clearly  defined,  it  had  also 
been  strengthened  and  confirmed. 

Very  often  during  the  following  months 
had  the  clergyman  met  his  fair  parishioner, 
and  he  could  not  conceal  from  himself  that 
his  first  feeling  of  admiration  had  deepened 
into  stronger  and  more  sacred  emotion.  It 
was  now,  when  his  heart  was  touched  by  a 
real  and  overmastering  passion,  that  he  saw 
in  a  clear  light  the  forced  and  formal  nature 
of  the  sentiment  he  had  entertained  toward 
Miss  Winthrop.  Although  he  had  made 
no  distinct  avowal,  he  felt  that  he  was  under 
stood  by  Mrs.  Suydam,  and  dared  to  hope 
that  the  attachment  was  mutual. 

During  this  quiet  life  in  the  country  his 
thoughts  often  turned  to  the  subject  nearest 
his  heart,  and  he  did  not  leave  the  considera 
tion  of  the  subject  until  he  had  formed  a 
plan  of  seeing  Mrs.  Suydam  immediately  on 
his  return  to  New  York,  and  declaring  his 
love  before  he  should  sail  for  Europe. 

As  with  light  heart  he  turned  to  his  work 
upon  the  address,  he  thought  uneasily  of 
Miss  Prudence  Winthrop.  Her  piercing 
gray  eyes  semed  to  follow  him  reproachfully, 
and  he  felt  a  shiver  of  dread  as  he  thought 
of  the  vigorous  tongue  behind  those  tightly 


B  Xanfcmarfc  in  ITbeologs.  19 

closed  lips.  But  knowing  little  as  he  did  of 
the  haughty  maiden's  designs,  he  dismissed 
these  disturbing  thoughts  with  a  feeling  of 
relief  that  he  had  never  committed  himself 
in  that  direction. 

As  the  day  set  for  his  departure  ap 
proached,  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  was  disturbed 
to  find  that  he  had  miscalculated  the  time 
required  for  his  labors. 

By  Thursday  night,  it  was  evident  that  he 
could  not  hope  to  reach  Saratoga  until  the 
following  week.  He  saw  his  way  tolerably 
clear  to  take  the  night  train  on  Monday,  and 
thus  enjoy  three  days  Avith  the  Congress,  be 
fore  the  delivery  of  his  own  address. 

But  even  Monday  night  found  the  task  far 
from  complete.  Altogether  the  doctor  de 
spaired  of  being  at  liberty  before  Wednesday 
night.  For  days  and  nights  he  had  been  ab 
sorbed  in  unremitting  exertion,  and  now 
under  continued  pressure  he  threw  himself 
into  the  work  with  such  tremendous  energy, 
that  after  retiring  to  his  room  on  Tuesday 
evening  he  did  not  go  to  rest  until  the  ora 
tion  was  absolutely  complete  and  he  could 
find  no  word  to  alter,  and  no  sentence  to  re 
touch.  So  absorbed  had  he  been,  that  when 
ho  finally  laid  down  his  pen  and  raised  the 


20  people  at  flMsgab. 

curtains  of  his  room  lie  was  astounded  to  find 
the  day  breaking.  He  raised  the  window 
and  allowed  the  fresh  breeze  of  the  morning 
to  cool  his  brow.  As  he  sat,  looking  out 
through  boughs  of  apple-trees  drooping  with 
moisture,  over  the  dewy  meadows  to  where 
the  dark  gray  lines  of  cloud  were  touched  by 
the  first  tints  of  dawn,  he  felt  a  pardonable 
satisfaction  in  the  work  he  had  accomplished. 

The  discourse  outlined  no  new  departure. 
It  was  rather  a  return  to  first  principles. 

It  was  no  irenicon. 

It  protested  against  allowing  the  strong 
doctrine  of  the  early  days  to  lapse  into  ob 
scurity.  With  vivid  and  vehement  elo 
quence  it  portrayed  the  period  when  the 
foundations  were  laid  by  the  Fathers. 

In  their  cosmology,  Man  was  the  central 
figure  of  the  creation ;  the  one  absorbing  ob 
ject  of  the  Creator's  thought.  For  him  the 
sun  rose  and  set  and  the  stars  held  their 
vigils.  Around  him  the  universe  revolved. 

In  spite  of  faults  in  perspective,  it  was  an 
ennobling  view  of  the  position  of  the  race. 
It  inspired  a  spirit  of  confident  and  exhaus 
tive  research,  which  would  not  stay  short  of 
ascertained  certainties. 

Upon  the  giant  theologians  of  that  time 


B  Xan&marfc  tn  £beolo0£.  21 

weighed  the  responsibility  of  determining, 
in  minute  and  precise  terms,  the  Divine  Will, 
and  of  announcing  the  Eternal  Purpose. 
Their  spiritual  vision,  preternaturally  clari 
fied  by  favorable  conditions,  and  their  dialec 
tic  sense  sharpened  by  uninterrupted  discus 
sion,  traced  with  apodeictical  exactitude  the 
operations  of  the  Almighty  Mind. 

Those  acute  intellects  of  the  sixteenth 
century  and  their  successors,  who  reformed 
and  elaborated  our  systems  of  belief,  wrought 
under  like  advantage. 

The  learning  of  their  day  was  preponder 
antly  religious.  Their  minds  were  saturated 
with  an  accumulated  aggeration  of  erudite 
research  and  pious  speculation,  refined  and 
systematized  by  centuries  of  scholiastic 
epexegesis  and  controversial  disquisition. 
Their  acroamatical  indagation  into  the  mo 
mentous  problems  of  eschatology  was  not 
disturbed  by  the  thousand  distractions  of  the 
present  age. 

It  is  to  their  conclusions  that  we  must  re 
vert  for  permanent  and  indefectible  standards. 
In  a  literal  sense,  the  doctor  of  course  rec 
ognized  that  the  vaunted  progress  of  the 
century  had  attained  a  more  exact  cosmog 
raphy.  But  our  conceptions  of  the  material 


22  people  at 


universe,  he  felt,  had  expanded  at  the  cost  of 
deplorable  restrictions  in  the  realm  of  pneu- 
matology. 

From  a  system  which  looks  to  physical 
environment  for  the  evolving  cause  of  every 
form  of  life  no  other  results  could  be  ex 
pected.  It  must  encourage  the  pernicious 
doctrine  that  the  sensible  universe  about  us 
is  an  important  element  in  revelation.  It 
will  admonish  us  to  seek  the  friendship  of 
nature  ;  to  conform  to  her  laws  ;  to  value  her 
discipline.  The  trend  of  the  time  is  toward 
the  so-termed  practical  side  of  religion. 

Philanthropy,  sociology,  altruism,  and  the 
like  are  encroaching  upon  the  domain  of 
technical  theology.  Ethics,  charity,  and 
mere  morality  are  exalted  at  the  expense  of 
creed  and  tenets. 

The  air  is  filled  with  schemes  for  checking 
intemperance,  for  bettering  the  condition  of 
the  poor,  for  promoting  the  science  of  physi 
cal  health. 

While  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  considered  such 
movements  meritorious  in  their  place,  he 
entered  his  earnest  protest  against  the  ten 
dency  of  which  they  are  symptomatic; 
against  any  descent  to  a  sordid  temporal 
plane  of  thought  and  action. 


B  Xanfcmatfc  in  abeologg.  23 

He  pointed  out  the  course  by  which  the 
ancient  symbolism  must  be  sustained. 

The  problem  resolved  itself  in  the  ultimate 
analysis,  into  one  of  separate  personal  re 
sponsibility.  The  test  must  be  applied  to 
the  individual  life. 

For  himself,  he  did  not  recognize  the  ex 
aggerated  potentialities  of  mere  material 
environment.  Chance  and  circumstance 
cannot  alter  the  essential  conditions  of  a 
single  human  life:  much  less  modify  the 
moral  or  even  physical  development  of  a 
race. 

He  anathematized  the  maudlin  sentimenta 
lity  which  would  seek  palliation  for  human 
weakness  in  accident  of  birth,  or  promptings 
of  heredity  or  pressure  of  surroundings. 

He  could  feel  but  little  sympathy  for  so- 
called  victims  of  appearances. 

From  thisindividuation,  Dr.  VanNuynth- 
lee  passed  by  convincing  synthesis  and  in 
duction  to  general  propositions. 

In  closing  he  reviewed  the  work  accom 
plished  by  the  convention.  He  pointed  to 
its  mighty  influence  in  the  future.  They 
were  now  standing  at  the  parting  of  the 
ways. 

He  finished  with  an    impassioned  appeal 


24  people  at  |M0gab. 

to  his  distinguished  colleagues  to  restore 
scholastic  theology  to  its  position  of  exalted 
independence;  to  cherish  this  sublime 
ideal  and  to  carry  this  supreme  determina 
tion  into  their  respective  fields  of  influence. 
With  that  consciousness  of  his  own  power 
which  men  of  masterly  intellect  possess,  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  felt  that  in  this  address  he 
had  produced  a  work  which  must  far  outlive 
the  occasion  which  called  it  forth,  and  which 
it  was  no  presumption  to  conceive  might 
become  a  landmark  in  ecclesiastical  history 
and  a  classic  in  theologic  literature. 


III. 

INTERRUPTED    REPAST. 

HOUGH  exhausted  by  this  long 
application,  the  nervous  strain 
prevented  any  refreshing  sleep, 
and  after  a  few  hours  of  fitful 
slumber  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  arose,  in  the 
hope  that  a  walk  in  the  fresh  morning  air 
would  bring  rest  and  recuperation.  With 
nothing  to  be  done  until  the  time  for  driving 
to  the  evening  train,  the  whole  day  was  be 
fore  him  for  uninterrupted  recreation. 

Mrs.  Peavy  not  feeling  able  to  leave  her 
room,  the  major  was  his  only  companion  at 
breakfast,  and  entertained  him  by  describing 
recent  symptoms  of  his  rheumatic  gout. 

The  doctor  was  devoting  himself  to  his 
breakfast,  while  preserving  such  outward 
show  of  interest  as  courtesy  required,  when 
Major  Peavy  remarked: 

"  By  the  way,  doctor,  we  called  yesterday 
at  the  Hazen  boarding-house ;  met  some  New 
York  people  there ;    there  was  a  Miss  Petti- 
25 


26  people  at 


grew  inquired  for  you  particularly  ;  said  she 
had  heard  you  were  staying  here." 

Fortunately  the  major  was  intent  upon 
breaking  a  soft-boiled  egg  into  his  glass,  and 
failed  to  observe  into  what  agitation  his 
companion  was  thrown  by  this  simple  re 
mark.  The  doctor  knew  that  a  southern 
young  lady,  Miss  Mildred  Pettigrew,  had 
been  visiting  Mrs.  Suydam  in  New  York, 
and  the  mention  of  her  name  at  once  re 
called  his  having  seen  on  the  previous  morn 
ing,  two  ladies,  one  of  whom  reminded  him 
of  Mrs.  Suydam. 

"Ah!  Did  she  —  mention  —  having  —  er  — 
being  with  any  one?"  he  inquired. 

"Yaas;  said  she  had  come  here  with  a 
Mrs.  Soudan  or  Sudani  —  or  something." 

Seizing  the  opportunity  while  the  major 
was  absorbed  in  breaking  a  second  egg,  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  arose,  and  with  hasty  excuses 
left  the  room.  Pulling  tightly  upon  his 
head  the  soft  felt  hat  which  he  wore  upon 
his  walks,  he  rushed  out  of  the  house  and 
started  up  the  road  toward  the  lane  with 
bowed  head  and  rapid  stride.  At  first  he 
was  overwhelmed  with  surprise  and  per 
plexity.  He  did  his  best  to  remember 
whether  ho  had  ever  had  any  intimation  that 


Bn  UnterrupteO  IRepast.  27 

Mrs.  Suydam  was  to  visit  this  remote  ham 
let.  He  did  recall  that  some  time  ago — it 
must  have  been  early  in  the  spring — she  had 
mentioned  her  intention  of  spending  a  part 
of  the  summer  in  Vermont.  He  was  not  sure 
now  but  she  had  named  this  very  place. 
Expecting,  as  he  did,  to  spend  his  own  va 
cation  abroad,  he  had  made  no  effort  to 
remember  the  name  of  the  town.  Now  it 
flashed  upon  his  mind  that  the  enthusiastic 
friend  who  had  recommended  North  Pisgah 
to  him  had  doubtless  induced  Mrs.  Suydam 
to  pass  a  few  weeks  in  the  same  quiet  re 
treat.  But  to  her  must  it  not  seem  that  she 
was  purposely  pursued?  Would  she  be  se 
riously  offended?  What  annoying  gossip  it 
would  create  at  home! 

His  rapid  gait  soon  carried  him  over  his 
favorite  route  down  the  lane  to  the  brow  of 
a  hill  overlooking  the  river.  Here,  as  had 
become  his  custom,  he  turned  into  the  pasture 
and  followed  a  ridge  along  the  line  of  the 
valley.  This  morning  he  pushed  on  for  nearly 
four  miles,  until  Dothan  Village  was  in  plain 
sight,  and  then  retraced  his  steps  at  the  same 
nervous  pace. 

The  effect  of  the  thinking  Avhich  had  been 
going  on  all  this  time  was  to  bring  the  doctor 


28  people  at 


into  a  much  more  agreeable  frame  of  mind. 
He  had  carefully  considered  all  the  questions 
so  suddenly  thrust  upon  his  attention  and 
had  satisfactorily  answered  every  one.  And 
now  the  anxiety  which  the  sudden  announce 
ment  had  caused  gave  place  to  intense  de 
light  at  a  coincidence  which  enabled  him  to 
carry  out  at  once  the  decision  so  lately 
formed.  He  determined  that  very  after 
noon  to  call  upon  Mrs.  Suydam  with  an  offer 
of  his  heart  and  hand. 

But  his  inward  satisfaction  had  been 
gained  at  the  cost  of  much  outward  discom 
fort.  The  doctor  is  of  extremely  portly 
figure,  and  accustomed  to  move  with  deliber 
ate  and  measured  tread  —  suggesting  a  digni 
fied  consciousness  of  the  responsibility  of  his 
position.  This  vigorous  tramp  of  two  hours 
in  a  hot  sun  was  an  extraordinary  exertion, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  walk  he  realized  that 
he  was  choking  with  thirst  and  almost  suffo 
cated  with  heat.  Even  the  shade  of  the 
great  pine  at  the  head  of  the  lane,  where  he 
paused  to  recover  breath,  afforded  no  relief. 

The  mighty  boughs  of  the  old  tree  hung 
limp  and  motionless.  Not  a  breath  of  air 
stirred.  Half-way  down  the  hill  before  him 
was  a  spring  where  a  tiny  stream  of  clear,  cold 


Bn  UnterrupteD  IRepast.  29 

water  trickled  from  under  a  huge  rock  into 
a  little  pool,  shaded  by  thick  alders  and  an 
overarching  elm,  and  then  slowly  found  its 
winding  way  to  the  river  below. 

The  doctor  watched  with  envious  interest 
a  troop  of  barefoot  boys  who,  on  their  way 
up  the  hill  after  their  bath,  had  stopped  for 
refreshment  at  the  spring.  Walking  on  and 
leaning  upon  the  bars  opening  into  the  lane, 
he  gazed  longingly  down  toward  the  shady 
pool.  The  youngsters  looked  so  tantalizingly 
cool  and  happy  as  they  came  up  the  hill  and 
trooped  past  him,  that  the  temptation  was 
irresistible.  The  doctor  let  down  the  bars 
and  carefully  replaced  them  behind  him, 
then  squeezing  between  the  posts  at  the  foot 
of  the  lane  into  the  brook  pasture,  scrambled 
down  the  hill.  He  moistened  his  parched 
throat  and  bathed  his  hands  and  head  with 
the  cooling  water,  and  drank  as  much  as  he 
dared. 

And  now  he  looked  back  with  despair  at 
the  hill.  It  was  unaccountable  how  much 
steeper  it  appeared  from  below  than  from 
above.  To  a  man  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's 
substantial  presence  such  a  climb  would  be 
a  serious  matter  at  any  time,  and  after  his 
long  walk  he  was  specially  indisposed  to  exer- 
3 


30  ipeople  at 


tion.  Eemembering  that  the  main  road 
crossed  the  river  a  half-mile  from  the  house 
of  Deacon  Meiggs,  he  wisely  decided  to  fol 
low  the  stream  to  the  bridge  and  then  walk 
leisurely  up  the  road.  He  strolled  slowly 
along  the  little  river,  chattering  over  its 
stony  bed  and  gradually  slackening  its  speed 
where  it  widened  into  a  deep  pool. 

A  short  distance  above,  a  huge  boulder 
stood  right  in  the  path  of  the  stream,  and 
slanting  toward  the  further  bank  turned  the 
current  in  that  direction.  Dr.  Van  Nuynth- 
lee  paused  opposite  the  pool  and  watched  the 
water  swirling  around  the  point  of  the  great 
rock.  The  foamy  bubbles  hurried  into  view, 
and  floated  down  in  long,  wavy  procession, 
gradually  separating  and  disappearing  in  the 
still  water.  Some  were  carried  to  the  further 
side,  where  they  gathered  in  masses  of  white 
foam  under  the  mossy  overhanging  bank. 

The  point  where  the  doctor  stood  was  ten 
feet  or  more  above  the  water,  and  the  bank 
steep  and  sandy.  Below,  a  bar  of  soft,  fine 
sand  ran  out  into  the  stream  and  sloped 
gradually  toward  the  deeper  water.  A  swarm 
of  minnows  glided  along  close  by  the  water's 
edge,  each  one  attended  by  a  tiny  wriggling 
shadow  following  every  motion  on  the  white 


Bu  ITnterrupteO  IRepaet.  31 

sandy  bottom.  The  doctor  smiled  as  he 
noticed  the  footprints  of  the  urchins  who 
had  lately  been  disporting  themselves  in  the 
water.  Though  not  now  insufferably  warm, 
he  was  annoyed  by  those  disagreeable,  sticky 
sensations  which  follow  violent  exercise  in 
warm  weather.  Nothing  could  be  so  delight 
ful  as  a  dip  in  that  cool,  transparent  water. 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  was  in  the  mood  to  throw 
aside  for  the  moment  his  stately  dignity, 
and  indulge  in  a  boyish  frolic.  He  looked 
carefully  about.  Not  a  living  creature,  ex 
cept  a  cow  quietly  grazing  near  by,  was  to 
be  seen  in  any  direction.  He  no  longer 
hesitated,  but  began  laying  off  his  clothing 
in  preparation  for  a  bath. 

If  the  doctor  has  a  single  frailty,  it  is  an 
overweening  pride  in  his  snowy  and  faultless 
linen.  As  it  lay  upon  the  grass  he  noticed 
with  genuine  pleasure  how  it  glittered  in  the 
sun  in  contrast  with  the  fresh,  green  turf. 
At  the  sight  of  the  Cortright  jewel  sugges 
tive  of  sad  memories,  a  shade  of  pain  crossed 
his  face ;  but  the  cloud  quickly  passed  away 
and  he  gave  himself  up  to  the  pleasure  of  the 
moment.  Sliding  down  the  steep  bank  upon 
the  bar  of  clear,  white  sand,  he  waded  into 
the  limpid  pool. 


32  people  at  ptegab. 

After  his  bath,  as  he  left  the  water  the 
feeling  of  the  warm,  dry  earth  was  so  deli 
cious,  that  he  reclined  against  the  sloping 
bank  and  half  covered  himself  with  sand. 

What  a  drowsy  feeling  this  country  air 
gives  one.  The  breeze  fanned  his  brow,  and 
through  his  half-closed  eyes  the  light  air 
seemed  dancing  and  beckoning  in  the  sum 
mer  sun. 

It  must  have  been  considerably  later  when 
a  cloud  passing  over  the  sun  brought  a  sen 
sation  of  chill  which  aroused  the  doctor,  and 
after  a  hasty  plunge  he  started  slowly  to 
climb  the  bank. 

As  his  eyes  rose  above  the  bank,  it  was 
fortunate  that  they  turned  toward  the  path 
leading  into  the  pasture  from  the  head  of 
the  lane.  There,  strolling  leisurely  down  the 
hill,  were  two  ladies;  two  ladies  whom  he 
recognized  at  a  glance. 

If  an  observer  had  been  stationed  on  the 
further  side  of  the  stream,  he  might  have 
noticed,  at  the  point  where  Dr.  Van  Nuynth- 
lee  had  been  standing,  a  seeming  electrical 
phenomenon — a  startling  monstrous  appari 
tion,  tearing  its  way  down  the  bank,  followed 
by  a  distant  rattling  of  disrupted  stones  and 
gravel ;  and  then,  profound  silence. 


Sn  IfnterrupteO  IRepast.  33 

The  doctor  had  evidently  decided  to  retire 
to  a  less  conspicuous  position.  He  looked 
eagerly  in  both  directions.  A  short  distance 
up  the  stream  was  a  thick  and  sheltering 
growth  of  alders  which  rose  above  the  river 
bank  and  extended  some  distance  into  the 
pasture. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  quickly  made  his  way 
thither  under  cover  of  the  bank,  and  found 
a  position  Where  he  could  see  all  that  took 
place  without  any  possibility  of  being  him 
self  observed. 

At  the  foot  of  the  hill  the  ladies  paused. 
It  was  evident  that  Miss  Pettigrew,  who 
carried  a  portfolio,  was  attracted  by  the 
peaceful  beauty  of  the  landscape,  for  seating 
herself  upon  a  log  she  began  to  sketch  the 
scene. 

Mrs.  Suydam  sat  a  few  moments  beside 
her,  and'then  in  search  of  ferns  followed  the 
winding  course  of  the  little  stream  which 
trickled  from  the  spring  down  toward  the 
river. 

It  is  needless  to  remark  that  this  delay  was 
exasperating  to  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee ;  yet  the 
minutes  dragged  on  and  Miss  Pettigrew 
showed  no  sign  of  completing  her  sketch. 

The  doctor  was  alarmed  to  see  that  Mrs. 


34  people  at 


Suydam  was  gradually  approaching  the  spot 
where  he  had  left  his  raiment.  And  as  he 
turned  his  eyes  in  that  direction  he  was  dis 
mayed  by  signs  of  new  and  strange  disaster. 
The  cow  which  he  had  noticed  in  the  fore 
ground  of  the  charming  landscape  had  been 
rummaging  among  his  carefully  arranged 
garments,  and  now  stood  in  the  midst  of  the 
soiled  and  scattered  apparel. 

Unless  his  almost  paralyzed  vision  deceived 
him,  the  brute  actually  held  his  collar  in  her 
mouth,  and  was  chewing  thereon  as  calmly 
as  if  starched  linen  had  formed  her  habitual 
diet. 

The  strong  predilection  of  the  bovine  ap 
petite  for  all  starchy  substances  had  never 
been  brought  to  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  atten 
tion.  But  now  the  evidence  on  that  point 
was  cumulative  and  conclusive.  The  beast 
turned  her  attention  in  succession  to  the 
cuffs,  and  finally  to  that  centre  of  laundried 
effulgence  compared  with  which  cuffs  and 
collars  are  but  humble  satellites. 

Mrs.  Suydam  was  strolling  leisurely  on, 
and  had  nearly  reached  the  scene  of  the  un 
fortunate  bath. 

The  dishevelled  raiment  and  the  destructive 
and  destroying  cow  had  been  hidden  from 


Bn  IfnterruptcO  IRcpast.  35 

her  view  by  a  group  of  small  evergreens,  but 
she  was  now  passing  beyond  this  natural 
screen. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  dared  make  no 
effort  to  drive  away  the  cow,  but  in  this  ex 
tremity  he  involuntarily  strove  to  cry  out 
some  word  of  warning.  His  parched  throat 
gave  utterance  only  to  a  strange,  inarticu 
late  croak ;  but  it  was  enough  to  arouse  Mrs. 
Suydam  from  her  absorbing  botanical  re 
searches. 

The  belligerent-looking  cow  was  now  in 
full  view.  There  was  a  startled  scream,  a 
hasty  but  comprehensive  glance,  and  Mrs. 
Suydam  dropped  her  ferns  and  huried  back 
to  her  companion. 

A  few  words  of  excited  conversation,  and 
then  Miss  Pettigrew  closed  her  portfolio ;  and 
leaving  pencils  and  paper  scattered  on  the 
ground,  the  two  ladies  hastened  up  the  hill 
and  disappeared  from  view. 

The  cow  remained  wholly  unconcerned. 
As  her  muddy  hoofs  were  planted  upon  the 
caudal  department  of  the  garment,  the  casual 
movements  of  her  head  had  nearly  torn  the 
bosom  from  the  adjoining  fabric. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  not  yet  moved. 
The  work  of  destruction  was  so  far  advanced, 


36  people  at  pfsgab. 

that  he  continued  to  gaze  in  hopeless  dejec 
tion. 

But  now,  as  the  sacrilegious  beast  tossed 
her  head  into  the  air,  a  small  bright  object 
glittered  for  an  instant,  just  on  the  point  of 
being  engulfed. 

It  was  the  Cortright  diamond. 

With  a  screech  the  doctor  rushed  through 
the  bushes  and  clawed  his  way  up  the  bank. 

The  cow  gave  a  final  toss  which  tore  the 
bosorn  entirely  loose,  and  started  off  at  a 
leisurely  trot,  still  holding  in  her  mouth, 
and,  as  far  as  her  gait  would  permit,  con 
tinuing  to  masticate  the  dangling  linen. 

The  reverend  doctor's  movements  were  as 
graceful  as  could  fairly  be  expected  from  one 
of  his  massive  build  and  long  neglect  of 
acrobatic  exercise. 

Alarmed  by  his  violent  demonstrations  the 
cow  broke  into  a  clumsy  canter. 

While  her  pursuer  stopped  for  breath,  she 
ambled  on  toward  a  strip  of  "second  growth" 
woodland  filled  with  bushes  and  under 
brush. 

The  doctor  was  forced  to  believe  that  a 
portion  of  his  garment,  with  the  precious 
jewel  attached,  was  still  undergoing  mastica 
tion  in  the  creature's  mouth. 


an  IFnterrupteD  IRepast.  37 

As  the  cow  paused  to  cast  a  reproachful 
glance  at  the  disturber  of  her  repast,  the 
movement  of  her  jaws,  from  which  depended 
a  few  strings  of  pulpy  linen,  confirmed  his 
supposition. 

Pushing  on  as  fast  as  possible,  he  followed 
the  tread  of  the  cow  as  she  crashed  through 
the  underbrush  and  through  a  break  in  the 
fence  into  another  open  pasture. 

Here,  when  he  reached  the  animal,  he 
found  her  serenely  grazing,  with  no  indica 
tion  left  of  her  late  misdeeds. 

He  examined  every  foot  of  ground  about 
her  without  the  least  encouragement,  and 
then  made  his  way  back,  scrutinizing  the 
ground  at  every  step. 

And  now  for  the  first  time,  he  learned 
the  full  extent  of  the  disaster.  All  his  linen 
had  met  a  common  fate.  Of  his  collar  there 
remained  but  one  button-hole.  To  be  more 
scrupulously  exact,  he  could  find  the  extreme 
end  of  the  collar  with  a  few  shreds  attached. 
A  large  portion  of  one  cuff  had  been  de 
voured,  while  of  its  mate  there  remained  a 
mere  wad  of  pulp. 

The  doctor  arrayed  himself  in  such  gar 
ments  as  had  been  spared,  and  then,  in  the 
hope  of  yet  finding  the  missing  jewel,  care- 


38  jpeople  at 


fully  retraced  the  ground  lately  passed  over 
by  the  cow,  but  without  success.  He  became 
convinced  that  the  beast  had  crushed  the 
fragile  pin  in  her  jaws  and  swallowed  it. 
He  determined,  however,  to  engage  men  at 
once  to  search  for  the  pin,  and  then  consult 
some  one  familiar  with  the  anomalies  of 
bovine  diet  as  to  the  course  to  be  pursued 
if  it  were  not  discovered. 

Starting  up  the  hill,  he  found  that  every 
movement  was  painful.  Not  only  was  he 
lamed,  scratched,  and  bruised,  but  his  back 
was  baked  and  blistered  from  long  exposure 
to  the  sun.  The  pursuit  of  the  cow  had 
impressed  him  with  the  frequent  occurrence 
of  that  humble  but  stimulating  plant,  the 
Canada  thistle  (Carduus  Arvensis). 

The  Reverend  Doctor  Van  Nuynthlee  is  but 
human,  and  it  is  not  strange  that  his  indig 
nation  waxed  hot  against  the  cause  of  his 
woes  and  against  its  owner,  who  had  allowed 
such  a  vicious  monster  to  be  at  large.  He 
would  first  of  all  seek  out  the  owner  of  the 
cow,  denounce  his  criminal  neglect,  and  de 
mand  such  reparation  as  was  possible.  A 
small  boy  whom  he  met  at  the  top  of  the 
hill  directed  him  to  the  dwelling  of  Mr. 
Slack,  the  owner,  and  thither  he  turned,  his 


2ln  UnterrupteO  TRepast.  39 

wrath  swelling  at  every  step.  The  derisive 
shouts  of  the  small  boy,  on  observing  the 
muddy  hoofprints  upon  the  back  of  the 
doctor's  coat,  did  little  to  increase  his  amia 
bility. 

By  the  time  he  reached  the  house  his  blood 
seethed  with  righteous  indignation.  After 
several  emphatic  knocks  he  heard  a  delib 
erate  shuffling  within.  Finally  the  door 
opened  and  an  elderly  tiller  of  the  soil  ap 
peared,  of  bristling  beard  and  stolid  coun 
tenance,  whose  jaws  moved  with  measured 
regularity  in  the  process  of  chewing  a  large 
plug  of  tobacco. 

"See  here,  my  man,"  said  the  doctor 
sharply,  "  are  you  the  owner  of  the  pasture 
over  there  by  the  brook?" 

"  G'd  mornin'  tew  ye, "  said  the  man.  "  No 
cold  vittles  in  the  house,"  he  added,  observ 
ing  the  stranger's  soiled  and  dilapidated 
appearance. 

"I  say,"  repeated  the  doctor,  raising  his 
voice,  "  are  you  the  owner  of  the  pasture 
over  there? " 

"Haow?"  said  the  man,  with  a  slight  up 
ward  inflection,  as  he  placed  his  hand  behind 
his  ear. 

"  You'll  have  to  speak  up,"  cried  a  shrill 


40  people  at  ptsgab. 

voice  from  some  unseen  interior,  "  he's  con- 
si  der'ble  deef." 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  feels  a  pardonable 
pride  in  his  deep,  tremendous  voice,  so  effec 
tive  in  the  delivery  of  his  earnest  pulpit  ex 
hortations.  Drawing  a  full  breath,  he  thun 
dered  out  in  stentorian  tones,  "  Do  you  own 
the  vicious  brute  of  a  cow,  in  the  pasture  by 
the  brook?" 

"  Hanner,"  called  the  man,  "  come  out  here 
and  tell  me  what  this  critter's  mumblin' 
abaout.  Derned  if  I  can  make  aout  what 
ails  him." 

The  possessor  of  the  shrill  voice,  being 
thus  evoked,  came  forth,  presenting  the  out 
ward  and  visible  form  of  a  tall  and  angular 
woman,  wearing  a  flour-covered  apron,  and 
bearing  in  her  hand  a  bread  roller.  To  her 
the  doctor  poured  forth,  with  fervid  and 
indignant  eloquence,  the  story  of  his  wrongs. 
She  told  him  that  the  cow  in  the  pasture 
in  question  belonged  to  her  husband,  and 
was,  at  present,  the  only  cow  there.  Her 
shrill  tones  succeeded  in  interpreting  the 
substance  of  the  story  to  Mr.  Slack. 

"  Chawed  up  yer  biled  shirt,  did  she?"  he 
inquired  with  the  slightest  possible  show  of 
interest. 


Bn  IfnterrupteD  IRepast.  41 

"Yes,  sir,"  roared  the  doctor,  "and  I  de 
mand  such  poor  reparation  as  may  be  in 
your  power." 

"  I  gather  that  he  wants  to  know  what  yer 
going  to  dew  about  it,"  screamed  the  woman. 

"  Want  ter  know  what  I'm  goin'  ter  dew 
about  it,  dew  }Ter?" 

"Yes,  sir!"  bellowed  the  frenzied  clergy 
man,  "  I  do  want  to  know  what  you  are 
going  to  do  about  it." 

"Nawthin,"  said  the  man,  without  losing 
a  single  movement  of  his  jaws. 

A  sickening  sense  of  helplessness  settled 
down  upon  the  doctor's  soul.  As  he 
turned  slowly  away,  Mr.  Slack  remarked: 
"  It  dooz  seem  as  if  a  man  o'  your  bigness 
might  have  gumption  enough  to  keep  a 
caow  from  feedin'  off  your  elothin'.  You'd 
orter  have  a  gardeen  appinted." 

"Better  find  out  who  he  is,  father,"  he 
heard  the  woman  scream  as  he  walked  away. 
"Don't  you  remember  Elder  Spillerses  fust 
wife  died  from  swallerin'  some  kind  of  a  pin?  " 
"  That's  so,"  said  the  man:  "Look  a-here!" 
he  shouted  after  his  retreating  visitor,  "  what 
d'yer  mean  by  feedin'  yer  sharp- cornered  pins 
to  my  cattle?  If  it  kills  my  caow,  a-plowin' 
through  her  innards,  I'll  make  ye  pay  for 


42  people  at 


her."  Mr.  Slack  closed  the  door,  but  his 
sense  of  injury  seeming  to  grow  upon  him, 
he  opened  it  again,  and  vociferated  after  the 
doctor's  receding  form,  "  If  I  ketch  ye  in 
swimmin'  ag'in  on  my  place,  I'll  have  ye 
took  up!" 

Then  the  door  closed  with  a  bang. 

The  doctor  stopped  despairingly,  and 
leaned  against  the  fence.  Before  his  mind's 
vision  rose  the  form  of  a  woman  —  tall, 
stately,  and  clad  in  deepest  mourning.  Her 
sad  inquiring  eyes  seemed  to  read  his  inmost 
soul.  "  Can  I  face  the  widow  of  Courtland 
Cortright,"  he  thought,  "and  confess  that  I 
have  allowed  the  precious  gift  of  her  dying 
husband  to  be  eaten  —  by  a  cow?  " 

Strangely  enough,  one  of  farmer  Slack's 
threats  suggested  a  gleam  of  hope.  He  had 
said  he  would  make  him  pay  for  the  cow. 

Why  not  have  her  at  once  killed  and  the 
lost  treasure  recovered?  The  indestructible 
diamond  might  at  least  be  found,  and  was 
worth  a  herd  of  cattle.  Approaching  the 
lady  of  the  house  in  his  most  persuasive 
manner,  he  at  last  induced  her  to  plead  his 
cause  with  her  husband.  With  him  the 
difficulties  seemed  insurmountable.  He  in 
formed  the  doctor  distinctly  that  he  "  didn't 


Bn  ITnterrupteO  IRepaat.  43 

want  no  more  words  with  him,"  but  it  was 
finally  agreed  that,  upon  payment  of  forty 
dollars,  the  cow  should  be  immediately 
slaughtered  and  her  interior  decorations 
investigated. 

And  now  that  a  great  weight  was  lifted 
from  his  mind,  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  realized 
that  it  was  long  past  his  dinner  hour  and 
that  he  was  ravenously  hungry. 

Almost  forgetting  his  mishaps,  he  started 
for  the  house  of  Deacon  Meiggs. 


IV. 

A   HERBIVOROUS  JEWEL   CASE. 


LTHOUGH  so  late,  the  doctor  was 
fortunate  enough  to  find  com 
pany  at  his  meal.  As  Mrs. 
Peavy  had  not  felt  in  the  mood 
for  dining  with  the  family,  she  and  her  hus 
band  were  just  seated  at  a  special  table. 
Mrs.  Peavy  was  more  than  usually  reserved, 
and  devoted  her  attention  to  Adolphus. 

Adolphus  was  not  the  heir  to  the  Peavy 
name,  but  a  small  terrier  of  Caledonian  line 
age.  Mrs.  Peavy' s  devotion  was  the  more 
praiseworthy  as  he  no  longer  possessed  the 
bright  and  active  attractions  of  his  species, 
but  had  been  for  years  disabled  by  an  acci 
dent,  while  his  vitality  was  further  reduced 
by  the  infirmities  of  age  and  imperfect  assim 
ilation  of  food.  The  faculty  of  locomotion 
he  still  possessed,  but  in  a  rudimentary  de 
gree,  occupying  as  much  time  in  passing 
a  given  point  as  a  torch-light  procession, 
44 


B  Derbivorous  Jewel  Case.          45 

though  with  nothing  like  the  same  brilliant 
effect. 

The  irascible  major  had  become  so  wonted 
to  upholding  his  wife  in  her  devotion  to 
Adolphus,  and  to  dilating  on  the  virtues  of 
that  afflicted  animal,  that  the  subject  hal 
come  to  be  an  extremely  sensitive  one.  The 
mildest  remonstrance  against  the  presence  of 
Adolphus  at  table,  or  upon  any  occasion  of 
social  gayety — indeed  any  remark  disparaging 
to  his  personal  appearance,  or  qualities  of 
head  and  heart,  was  certain  to  call  forth  an 
eruption  of  overwhelming  rebuke. 

Since  his  present  stay  at  Pisgah,  the 
major's  excess  of  zeal  had  drawn  him  into  an 
annoying  difficulty. 

Three  small  boys,  who,  in  passing  the 
house,  had  been  attracted  by  Adolphus' 
peculiarities,  were  overtaken  in  the  act  of 
subjecting  him  to  a  series  of  humiliating 
experiments. 

They  had  tied  a  superannuated  teapot  to 
his  tail,  and  were  betting  marbles  upon  the 
probable  time  in  which,  thus  handicapped, 
he  could  cover  the  distance  between  two 
marks  upon  the  front  walk.  One  of  the 
wretched  offenders  held  an  ancient  silver 
time-piece,  while  the  others  were  absorbed 
4 


46  people  at 


in  stimulating  Adolphus  to  set  out  from  the 
starting-point.  "When  the  avenger  burst  upon 
the  scene,  they  fled  in  different  directions. 

By  superhuman  efforts,  Major  Peavy  over 
took  one  of  the  culprits,  whose  trousers 
caught  upon  a  nail  in  the  fence,  and  chas 
tised  him  so  severely  that  the  boy's  parents 
summoned  the  major  before  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  put  him  to  considerable  trouble 
before  the  matter  was  settled. 

Upon  this  occasion,  while  Mrs.  Peavy  was 
tempting  the  palate  of  her  pet  with  delicate 
morsels,  the  major  made  a  few  remarks  upon 
the  resignation  which  characterized  Adolphus 
as  an  invalid,  and  the  conversation  then 
drifted  into  other  channels. 

After  dinner,  the  doctor  rested  a  short  time 
upon  the  lounge,  so  that  it  was  more  than  an 
hour  before  he  returned  to  inquire  after  his 
recent  acquisition.  On  entering  Mr.  Slack's 
barn,  he  found  that  the  cow  had  paid  the 
penalty  of  her  crimes,  and  her  former  owner 
had  already  stripped  back  the  hide  on  either 
side,  and  was  preparing  for  an  autopsy. 
But  as  the  doctor  became  accustomed  to  the 
dim  light  of  the  stable,  he  saw,  with  horror, 
that  some  colossal  blunder  had  been  made. 

The  cow  which  had  swallowed  the  diamond 


a  Tberbfvorous  Jewel  Case.          47 

had  a  black  head,  and  only  one  horn,  short 
and  much  crumpled.  This  cow  was  red,  and 
possessed  horns  of  normal  number  and  ap 
pearance. 

"  Hold  on,  here!"  he  shouted,  "  this  is  not 
the  cow!" 

"Hey?"  said  Mr.  Slack,  looking  up. 

"  I  tell  you  it  is  not  the  cow!"  shrieked  the 
doctor. 

The  astonished  man  stood  up.  The  knife 
dropped  from  his  hand.  Even  his  jaws,  for 
a  moment,  ceased  their  rhythmic  movement. 
"Not  a  caow,  hey?  Wall,  if  the  critter 
ain't  clean  gone." 

Fortunately  the  loud  voices  brought  from 
the  house  the  female  interpreter,  and  to  her 
he  explained  the  new  calamity. 

"  Why,  'twan't  a  little  old  black  caow, 
with  only  one  horn?"  inquired  Mrs.  Slack. 
"  Well,  I  want  to  know.  Why,  that's  Bill 
Blood's  caow,  that's  always  breaking  into 
our  pastur." 

At  this  new  complication  the  doctor 
would  have  completely  broken  down,  but 
for  the  comforting  advice  of  Mrs.  Slack. 
Encouraged  by  her,  he  decided  to  go  to  "Bill 
Blood"  and  purchase  the  real  cause  of  his 
misfortunes. 


48  people  at  ptegab. 

From  the  Slacks  he  learned  that  William 
Blood  was  a  shiftless  person,  of  intemperate 
habits,  who  was  born  on  the  stony  farm 
where  he  now  lived,  but  in  his  boyhood  had 
run  away  from  home,  and  after  twenty  years 
of  wandering  upon  land  and  sea  had  returned 
to  his  native  place,  where  he  now  lived  with 
his  mother  and  a  small  boy  whom  they  kept 
to  do  the  "  chores." 

The  house,  which  was  only  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away,  he  recalled  at  once  from  their 
description.  It  was  arranged  that  the  car 
case  of  the  slaughtered  animal  should  be  pre 
pared  for  market,  and  disposed  of  as  well  as 
possible. 

"That  air  caow  ain't  wuth  nothin',"  said 
Mr.  Slack,  as  the  doctor  was  departing. 
"  Most  anybody'd  be  glad  to  get  rid  on  'er. 
But  Bill's  a  currus  critter.  If  you  don't 
see  him,  old  Marm  Blood  '11  tell  ye  where  to 
find  him.  They  say  she's  kinder  looney. 
But  you  won't  have  no  trouble  gettin'  along 
with  her." 

This  remark  that  the  cow  was  of  small 
value,  gave  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  considerable 
relief,  for  his  financial  condition  now  caused 
him  some  uneasiness.  As  he  was  to  be 
absent  but  two  weeks,  he  had  taken  only 


a  herbivorous  3ewel  Case.  49 

sufficient  money  to  cover  his  probable  ex 
penses.  Another  forty-dollar  cow  was  be 
yond  his  means,  and  a  further  outlay  of 
twenty  dollars  would  leave  him  with  barely 
enough  for  travelling  expenses.  Hence,  in 
treating  with  Mr.  Blood,  he  decided  to  keep 
in  the  background  the  fact  that  his  cow  was 
the  animate  casket  of  a  valuable  gern. 

Engrossed  with  such  reflections,  he  ap 
proached  the  house  of  sanguinary  name. 
The  buildings  were  old  and  weatherbeaten, 
and  the  fences  appeared  in  great  need  of 
repair.  The  debilitated  soil  seemed  to  cry 
aloud  for  the  most  powerful  tonics.  A 
series  of  knocks  brought  to  the  door  a 
boy,  who  stated  that  Mr.  Blood  was  not  in 
the  house,  but  that  he  would  try  to  find 
him.  He  invited  the  caller  to  "  take  a 
cheer  "  in  the  best  room,  and  said  that  he 
would  speak  to  Marmy  Blood. 

The  doctor  entered  and  was  just  trying  to 
steady  himself  on  a  slippery  haircloth  sofa, 
when  Mrs.  Blood  presented  herself. 

Marmy  Blood  was  short  and  extremely 
stout,  her  circumference  seeming  to  expand 
symmetrically  on  all  sides,  from  above  down. 
It  is  quite  common  to  see  a  person  with  one 
leg  shorter  than  the  other,  and  every  one  is 


so  people  at 


familiar  with  the  lurching,  jerky  gait  which 
such  an  infirmity  necessitates.  As  Mrs. 
Blood  approached,  the  doctor  observed  with 
surprise  that  both  her  legs  were  shorter  than 
the  other.  At  least  that  was  the  impression 
conveyed  by  her  extraordinary  waddle.  The 
artificial  black  daisies  which  rose  to  a  dizzy 
height  above  her  cap  seemed  to  view  with 
apprehension  and  alarm  the  violent  process 
by  which  they  were  swayed  from  side  to  side. 
If  Mrs.  Blood's  eyes  lacked  somewhat  of 
intelligent  expression,  this  was  more  than 
compensated  by  the  fixedness  of  their  gaze, 
and  her  smile  was  expansive  and  reassuring. 

It  was  evident  that  she  was  fresh  from 
communion  with  nature.  In  her  hands  was  a 
stack  of  tansy,  dandelions,  wild  carrot,  and 
other  assorted  vegetation. 

"Jes'  sniff  them  posies,"  she  gasped. 
"The're  real  flagrant." 

In  accordance  with  the  canons  of  rural 
etiquette,  she  next  insisted  upon  "  relieving" 
her  visitor  of  his  hat.  With  that  prelimi 
nary  rite  piously  observed  and  the  hat  duly 
deposited  on  the  melodeon,  she  continued 
heartily:  "  I'm  real  glad  to  see  ye,  and  Bill 
—  he'll  be  tickled  to  death.  He's  fleshed  up 
consider'ble.  What,  don't  know  Bill? 


B  "fcerbivorous  Jewel  Case.          51 

Then  pro'bly  you  was  acquainted  with  Father 
Blood  afore  Bill  was  born.  He  was  a  clever 
man,  and  a  likely  man,  but  he's  dead.  Got 
his  head  shot  off  in  the  army." 

These  melancholy  reflections  did  not  seem 
to  depress  Mrs.  Blood's  spirits,  and  she  con 
tinued  to  beam  blandly  upon  her  visitor. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  replied  courteously 
that  while  he  had  not  enjoyed  the  privilege 
of  the  elder  Mr.  Blood's  acquaintance,  he 
sympathized  deeply  with  one  who  had  been 
suddenly  deprived  of  so  excellent  and  patriotic 
a  husband ;  yet  he  ventured  to  hope  that  the 
poignancy  of  her  grief  had  been  somewhat 
assuaged  by  the  lapse  of  years.  Mrs.  Blood 
not  appearing  in  the  mood  for  further  con 
versation,  the  doctor  made  some  remarks  of 
a  general  character,  expressing  his  admira 
tion  for  the  scenery  of  North  Pisgah  and  the 
like,  when  Mrs.  Blood  suddenly  exclaimed, 
"  There's  nothing  like  yarrer  tea  for  the 
liver." 

As  the  good  lady  showed  no  disposition  to 
follow  up  this  line  of  thought,  the  doctor 
was  saying  that  many  of  the  maladies  which 
afflict  humanity  might  doubtless  be  relieved 
by  such  simple  remedies,  when  his  hostess 
remarked:  "  Melindy  Poole's  come  home." 


52  people  at  piscwb. 

The  difficulties  in  carrying  on  a  con 
tinuous  conversation  seemed  so  great,  and 
the  doctor's  mind  was  so  preoccupied,  that 
he  allowed  a  long  silence  to  ensue  after  this 
announcement.  He  was  finally  startled  from 
his  reverie  by  a  sudden  assertion  on  the  part 
of  Mrs.  Blood.  "  Pie  is  good,  young  man,  pie 
is  good,"  she  exclaimed  earnestly,  "but  you 
must  be  keerful  abaout  eating  of  it  mor'n 
three  times  a  day."  The  doctor  was  hasten 
ing  to  allay  her  kindly  solicitude,  when  the 
door  of  the  best  room  flew  open  and  Bill 
Blood  appeared. 

Mr.  Blood's  appearance  was,  in  its  way,  as 
striking  as  that  of  his  excellent  mother. 
He  was  above  the  medium  height  and  of 
heavy,  corpulent  figure.  His  thick,  fiery 
hair  projected  in  various  directions  from  his 
scalp,  and,  at  some  points,  rose  vertically  to 
a  considerable  height.  His  round,  heavy 
face  from  long  exposure  to  the  weather — 
and  also,  as  the  clergyman  was  pained  to 
observe,  to  alcoholic  stimulants — had  like 
wise  acquired  a  coloring  of  deep  and  perma 
nent  red. 

The  dress  of  Mr.  Blood  was  unconventional, 
its  most  striking  feature  being  the  increased 
futility  of  buttons  and  other  fastenings 


2*  "fcerbivorous  3ewel  Case.  53 

toward  the  region  closely  subjacent  to  the 
diaphragm. 

His  countenance  habitually  wore  an  ex 
pression  of  intense  solemnity,  and  the  most 
trivial  remarks  were  uttered  in  a  loud,  crisp, 
powerful  voice,  with  whole-souled  emphasis 
which  conveyed  assurance  of  deep  convic 
tion. 

His  social  capabilities  were  impaired  by 
the  fact  that  a  short  black  pipe,  which  he 
smoked,  required  relighting  at  regular  inter 
vals  of  seven  minutes,  and  this  operation 
always  involved  considerable  loss  of  time,  and 
the  outpouring  of  much  ingenious  profanity. 

It  may  have  been  due  also  to  some  pecu 
liarity  of  the  pipe  or  tobacco,  that  Mr. 
Blood's  discourse  was  punctuated  with  fre 
quent  and  copious  expectoration.  Indeed 
the  impression  of  an  observer  was  that  Mr. 
Blood  regarded  critically  the  entire  external 
material  universe — the  non  ego — the  sum  of 
objective  phenomena— as  a  large  but  some 
what  inadequate  cuspidor. 

Upon  learning  the  general  object  of  the 
doctor's  call,  he  assured  him  in  glowing  lan 
guage,  enriched  with  a  profusion  of  sulphur 
ous  metaphor,  that  he  had  come  to  the  cor 
rect  spot — that  all  the  cattlemen,  who  came 


54  people  at  flMsgab. 

over  Pisgah  way,  were  wont  to  call  and 
receive  the  benefit  of  Bill  Blood's  experience, 
and  at  once  began  to  pour  forth  information 
and  advice. 

"  Naow  if  you  want  a  fust-class  milker,  Iry 
Peck,  that  keeps  store  daown  to  Firetown 

has  got  jest Don't  want  a  milker? 

Why  of  course  I  might  ha'  knowed  a  beef 
enter's  what  you'rarter.  Naow  I  heerd  ole 
one-eyed  Pitkins,  the  meat  man,  say  " — But 
here  the  doctor  interrupted  him,  and  with 
much  difficult  explanation,  stated  that  he 
had  no  time  for  an  extended  search — that  he 
wished  a  cow  for  a — well,  a  temporary  pur 
pose — that  he  had  seen  Mr.  Blood's  animal, 
and  had — had — as  it  were — taken  a  fancy  to 
her. 

Blood  was  greatly  mystified,  but  perceiv 
ing  that  for  some  reason  the  visitor  wanted 
his  worthless  old  beast,  he  determined  to 
make  the  most  of  the  opportunity.  Sending 
the  boy  to  drive  her  up  to  the  yard,  he  went 
out  and  dwelt  with  impressive  eloquence 
upon  the  cow's  remarkable  qualities,  and 
they  then  returned  to  the  gloom  of  the  best 
room  to  close  the  bargain. 

"  Waall,"  said  Bill,  seating  himself  on  the 
edge  of  a  chair,  close  to  his  victim,  "  to  part 


a  Iberbivorous  Jewel  Case.  55 

with  that  'ere  caow  would  jest  break  up  the 
whole  fam'ly.  If  I  had  any  idee  she  was 
goiii'  to  be  butchered,"  he  added,  raising  his 
enormous  hand  impressively,  "she  couldn't 
be  bought — not  for  no  sum.  Why  I  should 
sooner  think  of  eatin'  a  slice  o'  mother. 
There's  old  Pitkins,  the  meat-man,  forever 
pesterin'  me  to  name  my  figger  for  that 
caow,  but  then  agin,"  said  Bill,  in  a  hoarse 
portentous  whisper,  as  he  leaned  solemnly 
forward  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  doctor's 
knee,  "  He's  a  one-eyed  man,  Pitkins  is — a 
owe-eyed  man. 

"Just  afore  Father  Blood  died,"  he  con 
tinued  in  husky,  pathetic  tones,  "  jest  afore 
he  died,  he  riz  up  in  bed,  and  sez  to  me, 
sezee,  '  Wilyum,'  sezee,  '  don't  have  no  deal- 
ins  with  a  one-eyed  man,'  sezee." 

"  Your  mother  informed  me,"  interposed 
the  doctor,  "  that  your  late  father  lost  his 
hea — this  is — his — er — life — in  the — er — 
service  of  his  country." 

"  Jessiggzackly, "  said  Bill,  "  so  he  did.  He 
met  with  a  casuality — a  semis  casuality, 
but  he — lingered  arter  it  for  a  consider'ble 
spell.  You  see — "  Here  the  doctor,  to  avoid 
the  delay  of  a  labored  explanation,  begged 
that  he  might  not  revive  further  painful 


56  people  at  pisgab. 

recollections,  and  assured  Mr.  Blood  that  lie 
was  reluctant  to  intrude  upon  his  valuable 
time  any  further  than  was  necessary  for 
agreeing  upon  the  terms  of  the  sale. 

Blood  protested  that  his  time  was  wholly 
at  his  guest's  disposal,  and  after  pausing 
to  relight  his  pipe,  continued  reflectively: 
"  Haow  well  I  remember  the  time  Sim  Sweezy 
tried  to  tell  her  age  by  her  horns.  You 
might  ha'  sensed  that  her  horns  are  sort  o' 
singler.  Come  o'  buttin'  into  a  freight 
train  a  number  o'  years  ago.  "Waall,  this 
was  daown  to  Riggleses  tarvern,  one  Fourth- 
o'-July.  Old  Sweezy  was  a-blowin'  haow  he 
could  tell  any  caow's  age  by  her  horns,  and 
I  sez,  'I'll  bet  yer  five  dollars  you  can't  tell 
no  age  o'  my  caow. '  'I'll  take  yer  up,' 
sezee.  Waal,  there  was  a  craowd  settin 
'raound,  Ezry  Bosler  an'  Had  ad  Hatch  an' 
abaout  a  dozen  on'  'em,  and  they  hitched  up 
Riggleses  big  wagon  an'  they  all  driv  up. 

"  Sweezy  he  give  one  look  at  the  critter, 
and- seen  there  wan't  no  trace  o'  one  horn, 
and  t'other  was  so  busted  off  and  twisted  in 
side  aout,  that  no  man,  thaout  being  inspired, 
could  ha'  told  which  was  top  and  which  was 
bottom — he  give  one  look,  and  sez  kinder 
weak-like,  "Tain't  no  use,  boys,  'tain't  no 


B  fcerbivorous  Sewel  Case.          57 

use.  I  give  it  np. '  Wall,  if  this  ain't  the 
goldumdest  terbacker " 

The  doctor  seized  the  opportunity,  as  "Wil 
liam's  lungs  were  puffing  the  fumes  of  suc 
cessive  matches  into  the  pipe,  to  urge  that 
while  these  associations  might  enhance  the 
worth  of  the  cow  to  her  ownor,  it  was  plain 
that  she  was  of  small  intrinsic  value. 

"  'Sociations,"said  Bill,  reseating  himself, 
"  she's  the  sociablest  critter  that  ever  you 
see.  Why,  one  time  when  mother  went  over 
to  Billinses  for  ter  borrer  a  cup  o'  yeast,  that 
animile  clim  up  a  flight  o'  stone  steps  inter 
the  kitchen  an'  et  up  a  big  'lection  cake,  that 
mother  'd  sat  in  the  winder  ter  cool — and  if 
I  don't  misremember  that  was  the  time  she 
et  a  mess  o'  red  rozberries  an'  a  green  mush- 
melon,  or  mebbe  it  was  a  pan  o'  tame  cherries. 
Eat?  why — kondem  this  terbacker — you 
can't  think  o'  nothin  she  woii't  eat.  All 
you've  got  ter  do  is  to  let  her  loose  on 
the  neighbors.  Why,  mebbe  you  know  an 
ole  hunyop  by  the  name  o'  Beasly,  that 
drives  the  hearse  down  to  Slab  City.  He 
gits  a  commission  sellin'  grave-stones  for  a 
company  to  Montpeeler,  and  when  anybody's 
took  sick,  he's  allers  a-pokin'  'raound,  talk- 
in'  about  the  state  o'  their  souls,  an'  hopin' 


58  people  at  flMsgab. 

ter  get  a  job,  if  the  sickness  turns  aout  favor 
able.  Waall  onct,  when  ther  was  an  auction 
ter  the  Corners — time  Bellerses  folks  moved 
aout  West — this  ere  Beasly  was  snoopin' 
araound  as  ushal.  It  hed  been  an  uncom 
mon  helthy  season,  an'  he  was  feelin'  turrible 
pulled  daown,  when  he  happened  to  come 
acrost  Jerry  Plummer.  Yer  see  Jerry  'd 
been  sufferin'  from  stummuck  complaint  an' 
did  look  kinder  peaked.  Waall,  old  Beasly 
sorter  chirked  up  the  minnit  he  seen  'im 
an'  says:  'Why,  Mr.  Plummer,  haow  slim 
yew  dew  look.  I  dew  hope  you  ain't  failin', 
be  ye? ' 

"  This  ere  stummuck  trouble  had  made 
Jerry  kinder  tetchy,  an'  he  fired  up  an'  hol 
lered  aout,  'Failin,'  you  pop-eyed  old  tomb 
stone!  I'll  let  ye  know  whether  I'm  failin;' 
an'  he  drawed  back  and  knocked  old  Beasly — 
Oh,  I  orto  hev  told  ye  this  Bellers  was  allers 
inventin'  suthin'  er  other,  an'  there  was  a 
flyin'  machine  put  up  at  the  auction,  that  he 
claimed  only  needed  a  little  techin'  up:  a 
singler  lookin'  thing — had  arms,  same  as  a 
windmill,  an'  the  cussedest  lookin'  springs 
you  ever  sot  eyes  on. 

"  Waall,  the  aucshuneer  hed  sot  its  arms  a 
whizzin'  raound,  an'  wastryin'  to  get  a  bid, 


B  Iberbfvorous  Jewel  Case.  59 

when  Plummer  knocked  old  Beasly  right 
into  the  flyin'-machine.  One  of  its  arms 
plunked  him  in  the  maouth,  an'  staved  in 
the  heft  o'  his  front  teeth,  an'  the  springs 
they  fetched  loose  and  fired  him  inter  the 
air.  Seein'as  he  lit  in  a  tub  o'  soft  soap,  he 
wan'tmuch  hurt,  but  he  brought  a  big  soot 
against  Plummer  for  loss  o'  the  teeth. 

"  Yer  see  ther'  come  on  a  bad  spell  o'  sick 
ness,  'nd  a  number  of  folks  was  took  away. 
Beasly  ginrally  goes  to  the  mourners  when 
they're  sorter  helpless,  an'  talks  an'  talks 
an'  covers  'em  with  slime  until  he  worries 
'em  inter  buyin'  a  moniment.  But  on 
account  o'  not  havin'  no  front  teeth,  he 
couldn't  do  no  talkin'.  Couldn't  make  no 
saound  but  a  sorter  whistle,  an'  he  was  so 
almighty  mean  he  put  off  gettin'  chiny  teeth, 
so  't  he  lost  commission  on  seven  or  eight 
moniments. 

"  When  the  soot  come  ter  be  tried,  Beasly 
fetched  in  everybody  that  was  to  the  auc 
tion,  so'se  to  make  a  sure  thing  on't,  but 
they  didn't  seem  ter  recall  nothin'  straight, 
an'  what  little  they  did  say  was  mostly  agin 
Beasly,  an'  one  ungodly  ole  cuss,  by  the  name 
o'  Boggs,  he  swore  positive  it  was  Beasly 
struck  Plummer.  Jerry's  lawyer  he  laid  it 


60  people  at 


all  to  ole  man  Bellers,  fer   lettin'    such   a 
thing  loose  without  any  muzzle  —  an'  Bellers 

—  he  mixed  in  an'  claimed  that  Beasly  orter 
pay  for  the  machine. 

"  Waall,  the  soot  larsted  the  biggest  part  o' 
two  weeks  and  the  Jewry  kept  a  gettin' 
snarled  up  wuss  an'  wuss.  Arter  they'd 
been  aout  over  night  they  come  in,  all  wore 
aout,  an'  told  the  jedge  they  couldn't  seem  to 
find  no  verdict  ;  but  if  Mr.  Beasly  would  fur 
nish  a  set  o'  false  teeth  for  the  flyin'  ma 
chine,  they  calkerlated  it  would  be  abaout 
•  -  "Waall,  if  this  pipe  don't  beat  all." 

The  doctor  made  the  most  of  this  inter 
mission  to  say  that  while  he  enjoyed  these 
reminiscences,  he  would  be  pleased  to  see 
the  transaction  assuming  a  more  definite 
shape. 

"Waall,"  said  Bill,  whose  pipe  was  again 
in  operation,  "  I  was  jest  goin'  ter  tell 
ye  abaout  that  caow's  appertite.  Yer  see, 
larst  fall  ther  come  a  bad  run  o'  tiephoid 
fever,  an'  considerable  menny  o'  the  neigh 
bors  petered  aout.  Old  Beasly  sold  a  big 
grist  o'  gravestones,  and  got  so  tarnal  stuck 
up,  that  he  invited  everybody  to  a  blow-aout 

—  a  rissepshun,  he  called  it.     This  'ere  was 
the  washin'  day  afore  —  an'  he  had  his  store 


a  Iberbivorous  Sewel  Case.          61 

shirt  an'  the  boy's  shirts  an'  aswad  o'  collars 
an'  stuff  hung  aout  on  the  line. 

"  Waall,  that  night  this  'ere  caow  broke 
aout  and  wandered  daown  the  Slab  City  road 
till  she  come  to  Beasly's — jest  excuse  me  harf 
a  minnit."  Mother  Blood  had  been  sitting 
with  beaming  countenance  listening  to  the 
conversation  of  her  son.  As  he  paused  now 
with  resounding  puffings  to  blow  up  his 
light,  she  inquired  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee, 
"  Which  be  you  most  partial  to — prose  or 
poetry?" 

Before  he  could  reply,  William,  without 
noticing  the  inquiry,  resumed  his  story: 
"  As  I  was  a-sayin',  the  caow  walked  inter 
that  yard.  I  don't  rightly  know  whether 
'twas  accaount  o'  the  starch  or  what  it  was, 
but,  b'gosh'lmity,  that  critter  jest  took 
a-holt  an'  et  up  the  bulk  o'  them  close. 
Some  on  'em  she  jested  chaunked  up  an'  left 
a-hangin',  but  the  collars  and  cuffs  an'  sech 
small  skulch,  she  didn't  leave  skursely 
nothin'  of;  and  some  o'  the  gal's  lace  han- 
kerchi'fs  and  sech-like  flummery  she  'peared 
ter  hev  swallered  whole.  They'd  sent  aout 
printed  invites,  but  next  day  they  had  ter 
send  word  that  the  rissepshun  was  unavoid- 
bubly  pos'poned." 
5 


62  people  at 


At  this  point  the  doctor,  who  was  fairly 
bursting  with  impatience,  again  interrupted, 
but  William  had  become  so  bent  upon  relat 
ing  the  singular  experiences  of  Mr.  Beasly, 
that  he  persisted  in  describing  how  that 
gentleman  had  lately  ordered  for  himself  a 
mortuary  memorial  of  impressive  size,  how 
he  had  his  own  name  engraved  thereon,  with 
eulogistic  texts  and  verses  —  the  latter  of  his 
own  composition,  and  how  it  was  his  custom 
to  sit,  hour  after  hour,  gazing  at  the  memorial 
shaft,  and  on  July  the  fourth  and  other 
occasions  of  leisure  and  festivity,  to  take  his 
wife  and  such  of  their  offspring  as  might 
find  accommodation  in  the  Slab  City  funeral 
car,  and  allow  them  to  feast  their  eyes  on 
the  Beasly  "moniment." 

By  frequent  interruptions,  the  doctor  suc 
ceeded  in  checking  the  flood  of  narrative, 
and  insisted  upon  bringing  the  bargain  to 
a  head.  Mr  Blood  asserted  that  thirty  dollars 
would  be  a  paltry  pittance  for  such  an 
animal,  without  considering  the  laceration 
of  his  own  feelings  and  those  of  his  venerable 
mother.  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  maintained 
that  fifteen  dollars  would  be  an  exorbitant 
price,  but  at  last,  in  desperation,  compro 
mised  upon  twenty-five. 


a  Ibcrbivorous  Scwel  Case.          63 

It  was  agreed  that  the  boy  should  drive 
the  cow  to  Deacon  Meiggs',  and  the  doctor 
started  forward  to  arrange  for  having  her 
slaughtered  and  examined.  As  he  neared 
the  house,  the  deacon's  little  boy  ran  out 
to  meet  him,  exclaiming,  "I  guess  I  know 
who's  got  your  pin.  The  boys  was  down  in 
swimmin'  this  afternoon  an' Andrew  Gummy 
found  a  pin  stickin'  in  a  little  strip  of 
white  cloth.  He  happened  ter  see  it  in  the 
bushes,  most  covered  up  with  leaves,  when 
he  was  huntin'  for  a  cat-bird's  nest.  He  said 
it  was  a  queer  little  brass  pin  with  a  piece  of 
glass  in  the  middle." 

The  doctor  uttered  a  heartfelt  shout  of 
thanksgiving.  Upon  inquiry,  however,  he 
was  sorry  to  learn  that  Master  dummy's 
home  was  some  five  miles  distant,  and  that 
having  driven  up  with  his  father  to  the  store 
at  Pisgah,  he  had  taken  the  opportunity  of 
going  with  the  other  boys  for  a  swim. 

"  I  wouldn't  think  of  goin'  over  there  to 
night,"  said  the  deacon,  "you  must  be  all 
beat  aout.  The  pin'll  be  all  safe.  I  know 
the  folks  well.  Better  wait  over  till  tomorrer 
night."  It  maybe  readily  imagined  that  the 
doctor  fell  in  with  this  suggestion. 

The  family  was  just  sitting  down  to  supper, 


64  people  at  ffrtsgab. 

when  the  deacon  cried  out,  "  Why,  if  there 
ain't  Bill  Blood's  boy  trying  to  drive  his  con- 
sarned  old  black  caow  inter  our  yard.  Run, 
you,  and  head  her  off.  What  dooz  the  child 
mean?" 

When  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  jumped  up 
and  explained  his  purchase  the  deacon  burst 
into  a  spasm  of  laughter.  To  the  doc 
tor's  anxious  inquiries,  he  replied  that  no 
sane  person  within  a  range  of  twenty  miles 
would  take  this  notorious  animal  as  a  gift. 
As  he  expressed  her  reputation,  "  she  was  as 
much  wickeder  than  Satan,  as  Satan  is 
wickeder  than  a  hogshead  of  molasses." 

The  purchase  of  this  second  cow  had  left 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  with  less  money  than  was 
actually  necessary  to  pay  his  expenses;  but 
Deacon  Meiggs  offered  some  encouragement 
by  saying  that  Bill  Blood  was  not  a  bad 
natured  fellow,  and  that  the  best  course  would 
be  to  drive  the  cow  over  after  supper,  and 
induce  him  to  take  her  back,  and  restore  a 
portion  of  the  money. 


V. 

A    MOSAIC    REMEDY. 

FTER  a  hearty  supper,  the  doctor 
felt  sufficiently  refreshed  to  start 
with  his  good-natured  host,  upon 
the  errand  of  returning  the  Bill 
Blood  cow. 

That  enterprising  beast,  being  found  gorg 
ing  in  the  adjoining  cornfield,  was  re 
luctant  to  depart,  and  when  she  was  secured, 
after  much  racing  through  the  vegetable 
garden,  it  required  the  combined  exertions 
of  Deacon  Meiggs  and  the  doctor,  upon  the 
rope  tied  round  her  neck,  to  drag  her  out  of 
the  yard.  On  reaching  the  bank  which 
sloped  from  the  Meiggs'  door-yard,  she  was 
seized  with  a  spasmodic  impulse  to  hasten 
homeward,  and  rushed  down  the  bank, 
dragging  both  men  after  her  with  more 
rapidity  than  grace. 

As   their  erratic   progress  brought  them 
within  ear-shot  of  the  Blood  mansion,  they 
began  to  observe  a  continuous  sound  emanat- 
65 


66  people  at 


ing  from  that  direction.  It  increased 
steadily  in  volume  till  they  stood  in  front  of 
the  dilapidated  house.  Through  the  open 
windows  of  the  "  settin'  room"  poured  forth 
what  seemed  the  eloquent  accents  of  inr 
passioned  oratory. 

"We  can't  do  nothin',"  said  the  deacon 
decidedly,  and  with  a  look  of  resignation, 
"  Bill's  a-preachin'.  Must  have  gone  down 
to  the  tavern  the  minnit  he  got  holt  o'  that 
money  o'  yourn.  We  can't  do  nothin'." 

In  response  to  the  doctor's  look  of  amazed 
inquiry  he  explained  that  the  Reverend 
Ilabakkuk  Harrower,  a  clergyman  related  to 
the  Bloods,  having  died  without  leaving 
nearer  kindred,  a  barrelful  of  his  sermons 
had  been  sent  here.  Whenever  William 
Blood  attained  a  certain  stage  of  philan 
thropic  inebriety,  he  was  accustomed  to  fish 
forth  one  of  these  discourses,  and  deliver  it 
with  the  greatest  unction. 

Mr.  Blood  allowed  no  secular  concerns  to 
intrude  upon  this  solemn  duty,  and  any  hu 
man  creature  who  chanced  within  range  was 
forced  to  remain  in  devout  attention  as 
point  after  point  was  expounded  till  the  last 
word  of  closing  exhortation.  Moreover, 
when  so  fortunate  as  to  find  an  audience  Bill 


/Ifcoeafc  "Kernel.  67 


was  sure  to  stray  from  the  text,  to  indulge  in 
copious  comment  and  instructive  explana 
tion,  and  was  apt  to  be  drawn  into  endless 
irrelevant  reminiscence. 

The  agreeable  variety  in  the  nature  of 
these  papers  was  full  of  suggestion  to  the 
commentator. 

As  the  Eev.  Habakkuk  Harrower  had  been 
considered  especially  "happy  at  funerals," 
he  had  been  called  upon  to  deliver  many 
memorial  discourses  in  honor  of  departed 
worthies. 

There  were  likewise  "  Occasional  Ad 
dresses  "  not  a  few,  including  "  An  Histori 
cal  Discourse  at  the  Opening  of  the  Toll 
Bridge  across  the  Onion  Eiver,"  and  "  Be- 
marks  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  Suggested  by 
the  Protracted  Drought." 

But  in  especial  favor  with  Mr.  Blood  were 
the  series  of  polemical  sermons  produced  by 
the  Eev.  Mr.  Harrower  in  the  heat  of  his 
memorable  controversy  with  the  Eev.  Zepha- 
niah  Scattergood  of  Yellow  Medicine  Coun 
ty,  Minnesota.  The  Eev.  Zephaniah  Scat 
tergood  had  returned  to  the  East  to  solicit 
funds  for  the  establishment  of  a  system  of 
Consecrated  Cyclone  Caves,  to  which  the 
worshippers  in  exposed  sanctuaries  might 


68  people  at  pfsgab. 

repair,  during  the  elemental  convulsions  so 
frequent  in  that  region. 

He  adduced  abundant  evidence  of  loss  of 
life  and  of  church  property. 

He  cited  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Abimilech 
Wing,  whose  ministrations  had  been  inter 
rupted  and  who  had  been  suddenly  caught 
up  and  deposited  within  the  closely  adjoin 
ing  confines  of  Chippewa  County. 

As  his  injuries  rendered  a  return  to  Yel 
low  Medicine  Count}r  unsafe  for  a  consider 
able  time,  a  successor  had  reluctantly  been 
installed.  As  the  Eev.  Mr.  Wing  gradually 
recovered,  he  had  taken  up  the  work  in 
Chippewa  County,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Home  Missionary  Society. 

It  was  plain  that  they  should  labor  under 
great  disadvantage  in  competition  with 
denominations  whose  systems  were  adapted 
to  a  pastoral  itinerancy,  unless  some  security 
were  provided  against  these  abrupt  changes. 

As  thus  presented,  the  cause  appealed 
vividly  to  public  sympathy,  and  was  making 
encouraging  headway,  until  it  encountered 
the  opposition  of  the  Eev.  Habakkuk  Har- 
rower. 

The  Eev.  Habakkuk  Harrower  came  for 
ward  and  denounced  the  whole  project.  He 


21  Mosaic  TRemefcg. 


pointed  out  that  it  was  based  upon  a  deplor 
able  lack  of  confidence  in  Providence.  What 
Yellow  Medicine  County  wanted  was  not 
more  cyclone  caves,  but  more  faith. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Scattergood,  alarmed  at 
this  assault,  rolled  up  an  overwhelming  array 
of  statistics,  applying  to  cyclones  generally 
in  all  parts  of  the  county.  He  showed  that 
no  cyclone,  when  once  engaged  in  the  trans 
action  of  business,  had  ever  made  the  least 
discrimination  in  favor  of  ecclesiastical  forms 
of  architecture ;  that  so  far  as  could  be  ob 
served  they  scooped  up,  dismembered  and 
disseminated,  with  cheerful  impartiality,  the 
just  and  the  unjust.  This  made  no  impres 
sion  on  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harrower.  Having 
taken  the  impregnable  position  that  damage 
by  cyclone  proved  a  want  of  adequate  con 
fidence,  of  course  such  general  destruction 
disclosed  a  widespread  and  appalling  lack  of 
faith,  which  it  would  be  rank  impiety  to 
encourage  with  financial  aid. 

As  to  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Abimilech 
Wing,  events  would  infallibly  show  that  his 
transfer  to  a  new  and  enlarged  field  of  use 
fulness  had  been  ordered  for  the  best.  His 
example  could  not  fail  to  be  instructive  so 
long  as  the  clergy  were  prone  to  hesitation 


70  people  at 


when  called  to  more  laborious  and  less  re 
munerative  pastorates. 

The  conflict  waxed  hot  and  waged  long, 
but  as  few  were  willing  to  risk  the  encour 
agement  of  impiety,  particularly  when  asso 
ciated  with  a  substantial  cash  contribution, 
it  came  to  pass  in  the  end  that  the  Rev. 
Habakkuk  Harrower  prevailed  exceedingly 
and  convinced  the  Eev.  Zephaniah  Scatter- 
good  that  agitations  of  tempestuous  violence 
were  not  confined  to  the  breezy  Occident. 

It  was  usual  with  William  Blood,  when  in 
the  mood  for  oratory,  to  cast  the  harpoon  of 
chance  into  this  teeming  sea  of  materials. 
Whatever  literary  cetacean  he  happened 
to  impale  was  certain  to  be  strong  with  an 
osseous  framework  of  sound  doctrine  and 
erudition,  and  rich  in  the  oleaginous  spoils 
of  sentiment  and  eloquence. 

Mr.  Blood's  prejudice  in  favor  of  the  cy 
clonic  philippics  was  due  particularly  to  the 
fact  that  they  had  been  printed  by  special 
vote  of  the  Canaan  County  Conference,  and 
could  thus  be  read  with  more  accuracy  and 
continuity  than  the  manuscript  addresses. 

After  listening  for  some  minutes,  Deacon 
Meiggs  expressed  the  opinion  that  Bill  Blood 
was  now  involved  in  the  Scattergood  contro- 


dfcosafc  IRemeDg.  71 


versy,  and  was  almost  certain  to  go  on 
throughout  the  entire  series.  Plainly,  as  the 
deacon  said,  they  could  do  nothing. 

Yet,  if  the  cow  were  left  here,  Bill,  on 
restoration  to  relative  sobriety,  would  doubt 
less  deny  all  recollection  of  to-day's  transac 
tion.  It  was  plain  that  she  must  be  gotten 
back  to  Deacon  Meiggs'. 

If  bringing  the  cow  to  her  old  home  had 
been  difficult,  it  may  be  imagined  that  bring 
ing  her  away  again  was  not  less  so.  As  they 
approached  a  long  lane  leading  down  from  the 
Ilazen  boarding-house,  the  doctor  was  dis 
mayed  to  see,  tripping  down  the  lane,  upon 
an  evening  ramble,  the  same  ladies  whose 
appearance  in  the  morning  had  caused  him 
so  much  distress.  Of  course  he  wished  to 
see  Mrs.  Suydam  and  make  his  explanations, 
but  as  yet  he  had  not  formulated  such  apolo 
gies  as  the  delicacy  of  the  case  demanded, 
and  in  his  present  occupation,  heated  and 
dusty  as  he  was,  she  was  the  last  person  he 
would  have  wished  to  meet. 

Urging  his  astonished  companion  to  be 
labor  the  cow  from  the  rear,  he  put  forth 
every  exertion  to  drag  the  villanous  beast 
beyond  the  lane  before  the  ladies  should 
recognize  him. 


72  people  at  ptegab. 

The  cow  allowed  herself  to  be  forced  on 
ward  at  a  sullen  trot,  until  exactly  opposite 
the  lane.  At  this  point,  with  devilish  per 
versity,  she  refused  to  budge  further. 

The  deacon  beat  diligently  with  his  stick. 
The  minister  whacked  wildly  with  the 
rope.  When  both  men  braced  themselves 
in  the  rear,  and  endeavored  to  push  the  cow 
forward,  she  suddenly  kicked  her  heels  into 
the  air,  and  made  a  vicious  rush  up  the 
lane. 

By  gigantic  efforts  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee 
clung  to  the  rope,  and  checked  the  mad 
dened  brute  after  running  some  distance. 
The  two  ladies,  with  frightened  screams, 
ran  to  one  side  as  they  saw  the  cow  coming, 
although  Deacon  Meiggs  shouted  to  them  to 
"head  her  off." 

It  was  only  when  the  doctor  stepped  for 
ward  and  removed  his  hat  that  he  was  recog 
nized. 

Mrs.  Suydam  gave  an  exclamation  of  amaze 
ment,  and  seemed  about  to  turn  away.  The 
doctor  stepped  forward  with  the  rope  in  one 
hand,  and  his  hat  held  low  before  him  in 
the  other. 

With  a  profound  bow  of  deprecation,  he 
exclaimed  in  his  blandest  and  most  persuasive 


B  flBosaic  IReme&E.  73 

tones,  "  I  beseech  you  ladies,  I  beseech  you, 
Mrs.  Suy DAM!!!" 

The  violent,  and  seemingly  profane  ejacu 
lation  of  the  last  syllable  was  due  to  the 
cow's  unexpectedly  whirling  round,  and 
bolting  toward  the  road.  The  doctor  being 
taken  unawares  with  the  rope  twisted  round 
his  hand,  was  lifted  off  the  ground  at  the 
first  plunge. 

"Leggo!  Leggo  the  rope!"  screamed  the 
deacon;  but  the  doctor  couldn't  leggo. 

By  means  of  supernatural  strides  he  man 
aged  to  keep  his  feet,  but  the  rate  of  speed 
soon  brought  him  back  to  the  foot  of  the 
lane.  There,  as  Deacon  Meiggs  stood  in 
front  and  frantically  waved  his  arms,  the 
cow  stopped  and  allowed  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee 
to  recover  himself.  When  he  was  able  to 
take  observations,  he  found  that  the  ladies 
had  turned  their  backs  in  confusion  or  in 
dignation  and  were  hastening  toward  the 
boarding-place. 

Slowly  the  two  men  pursued  their  melan 
choly  course  to  the  house.  The  cow  was 
turned  into  the  barn-yard  and  the  gates  and 
fences  made  secure;  while  the  doctor,  who 
complained  of  feeling  ill,  went  at  once  to  his 
room.  He  threw  himself  upon  the  bed,  and 


74  people  at  pisgab. 

after  some  restless  tossing  was  falling  into  a 
doze,  when  a  soft  knock  at  the  door  aroused 
him,  to  learn  that  Mrs.  Meiggs  had  thought 
fully  called  in  the  village  doctor,  who  hap 
pened  to  be  passing. 

Learning  from  Mrs.  Meiggs  of  the  patient's 
clerical  calling  and  devotion  to  study,  he  came 
upstairs,  and  after  a  thorough  professional 
examination,  assured  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  that 
the  indisposition  was  due  solely  to  his  seden 
tary  habits.  He  recommended  bathing  and 
pedestrian  exercise  as  especially  quieting  to 
the  nerves. 

"  Why,"  said  he,  "  one  day's  good,  vigor 
ous  exercise  in  the  open  air  would  make  a 
different  man  of  you." 

When  Mrs.  Meiggs  asked  for  the  physi 
cian's  prescription,  she  was  dismayed  to  find 
that  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  torn  it  up. 
Her  guest  was  plainly  in  danger  of  serious 
illness,  and  in  her  anxiety  she  ran  into  the 
adjoining  room  to  consult  "  Aunty  Olimpy. " 

Aunt  Olympia  was  a  maiden  lady  of  ma 
ture  years,  with  spare  figure  and  opaque 
complexion,  upon  whose  countenance  brooded 
an  expression  of  settled  melancholy  She  had 
not  come  under  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  ob 
servation  except  in  the  dining-room,  yet 


Mosaic  TRemeDg.  75 


on  such  occasions,  her  eccentric  demeanor 
had  attracted  his  notice.  For  while  the  rest 
of  the  household  were  bending  over  their 
plates,  intent  upon  the  work  of  destruction, 
Miss  Olympia  would  sit  pensive  and  silent,  a 
shade  of  pain  passing  at  times  across  her 
features,  as  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  ravenous 
"  hired  man  "  absorbed  in  gobbling  the  fra 
grant  "sassage,"  the  succulent  fried  tripe, 
or  the  pleasingly  inevitable  pie.  In  the  rude 
phraseology  of  the  unsympathetic  hired 
man,  "  Aunt  Olimpy  allus  looked  as  ef  she'd 
swallered  her  cud." 

When  she  deigned  to  taste  a  bit  of  some 
delicacy,  it  was  done  with  such  unconscious 
abstraction,  as  to  disarm  suspicion  that  she 
was  clogging  the  etherial  mechanism  of  her 
body  with  coarse,  material  food.  The  morsel 
was  raised  gracefully  to  her  lips  and  poised 
listlessly  in  the  air,  while  her  eyes  turned  up 
ward  and  inward  in  a  peculiar  manner  which 
suggested  a  modified  form  of  strabismus;  but 
was,  in  fact,  the  outward  evidence  of  deep 
introspection. 

The  doctor  wondered  how  her  life  was  sus 
tained,  until  he  had  occasion  one  day  to 
return  to  the  dining-room  after  the  family 
had  left  the  table,  and  was  astonished  to  find 


76  people  at  pfsgab. 

Aunt  Olimpy  sitting  at  the  deserted  board, 
with  all  the  dishes  concentrated  about  her 
own  plate,  which  was  heavily  loaded  with  salt 
pork,  baked  beans,  doughnuts,  saleratus  bis 
cuits,  and  other  forms  of  fried  or  frizzled 
homicide.  As  he  burst  into  the  room,  she 
had  raised  her  knife,  its  blade  heaped  moun 
tain  high,  and  was  in  the  act  of  shoving  the 
nutritious  mass  between  her  wide  distended 
jaws,  while  her  eyes  were  fixed  in  that  deter 
mined  glare  associated  with  the  railroad 
lunch  counter. 

At  least  the  doctor  could  have  sworn  that 
he  beheld  this  amazing  sight,  and  he  averted 
his  eyes  for  a  moment,  out  of  sensitive 
regard  for  the  lady's  feelings.  But  when 
he  glanced  at  her  an  instant  later,  she  rose 
and  cast  at  the  food  a  look  of  such  withering 
contempt,  and  glided  from  the  room  with 
such  melancholy  resignation,  that  he  was 
forced  to  believe  his  eyes  had  deceived  him. 

He  had  supposed  her  depression  of  spirits 
to  be  due  to  some  physical  derangement, 
but  learned  upon  inquiry  that  its  cause  was 
purely  intellectual.  Aunt  Olympia  was  gifted 
with  a  sensitive,  poetic  temperament,  which 
found  no  responsive  sympathy  in  her  hard, 
practical  surroundings.  Hers  was  a  nature 


B  Mosaic  IRemeOs.  77 

which  one  might  expect  to  seek  utterance 
for  its  sitppressed  yearnings  in  verse. 

Indeed,  she  had  once  sent  to  a  local  paper 
some  poetic  effusions,  but  its  columns  were 
so  congested  at  the  time  with  items  of  local 
gossip,  notices  of  abnormal  pumpkins,  and 
patent  medicines,  that  the  editor  returned 
the  verses  as  unavailable. 

This  rebuff  had  so  convinced  her  of  the 
world's  coldness,  that  she  had  since  resisted 
all  appeals  for  publication  of  her  poems,  and 
even  refused  to  commit  them  to  paper.  To 
certain  chosen  spirits,  she  occasionally  recited 
a  few  affecting  stanzas ;  and  a  report  that  in 
the  privacy  of  her  own  room,  when  the  condi 
tions  were  such  as  to  inspire  her  muse,  she 
was  wont  to  pour  forth  her  pent-up  emotions 
in  harmonious  song,  added  not  a  little  to 
the  awe  which  her  genius  inspired. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  Olympia  Meiggs 
was  surrendered  to  selfish  and  morbid  reflec 
tions.  On  the  contrary  her  life  was  devoted 
to  the  relief  of  suffering  humanity.  She 
was  familiar  with  the  medicinal  virtues  of 
native  herbs,  and  far  famed  for  her  miracu 
lous  cures. 

So  greatly  was  her  medical  skill  in  demand, 
that  she  kept  on  hand  decoctions  suited  to 
6 


people  at 


all  important  maladies,  and  in  extreme  cases 
administered  an  extraordinary  mixture,  com 
bining  the  virtues  of  all  the  medicinal  plants. 

It  contained  yellow  dock  for  the  blood,  and 
tansy  for  the  liver.  Each  department  of 
the  alimentary  canal  was  provided  with  a 
remedy  suited  to  its  peculiar  ailments. 

There  was  catnip  to  soothe  the  sorrows  of 
teething  infancy,  and  the  tonic  and  powerful 
boneset  to  support  the  tottering  steps  of 
age. 

In  short  this  preparation  contained  at  least 
one  element  warranted  to  "  act  upon"  each 
organ  of  the  human  body.  When  instant 
action  was  imperative,  and  she  was  uncertain 
what  special  organ  was  deranged,  Aunt  Olim- 
py  generally  turned  to  this  sovereign  remedy. 
As  it  had  proved  ineffective  in  one  or  two 
complicated  cases,  she  had  latterly  added  a 
generous  dose  of  "  Turkey  rhubarb  "  as  a  sort 
of  drag-net,  and  its  use  was  now  invariably 
followed  by  marked  results. 

This  powerful  remedial  agent  had  been 
christened  by  its  architect  "  The  Nectareous 
Panacea,"  but  to  her  patients  generally  it  was 
know  by  the  more  homely  but  expressive 
name  of  "  Horrogag." 

Miss  Olympia  listened  to  a  statement  of 


B  Mosaic  TCeme&B.  79 


the  boarder's  symptoms,  and  finally  went 
into  the  hall  and  gazed  at  him  from  a  dis 
tance,  with  melancholy  interest.  Upon 
mature  deliberation,  she  pronounced  the 
case  to  be  one  requiring  the  persuasive  and 
far-reaching  influence  of  the  panacea.  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  had  heard  that  herbal 
remedies  were  harmless,  and  often  useful. 
He  thought,  too,  that  a  hot  medicinal  drink 
might  break  the  force  of  his  cold,  while  of 
its  composite  style  of  architecture  he  was, 
of  course,  ignorant. 

Thus  when  a  steaming  bowl  of  the  panacea 
was  presented,  he  resolutely  gulped  down  the 
horrible  decoction. 

The  doctor  had  imagined  that  he  wr.s 
suffering  somewhat,  during  the  day,  but  he 
realized  now  that  his  agonies  were  just  begin 
ning.  Unable  to  lie  upon  his  lamed  and  sun 
burnt  back,  the  horrogag  soon  rendered  the 
opposite  side  of  his  person  quite  as  sensi 
tive.  Hence  the  time  passed  in  feverish 
tossings  from,  one  bramble-scratched  side 
to  the  other.  At  last  he  found  a  posi 
tion  of  comparative  comfort,  and  was  begin 
ning  to  enjoy  a  little  rest,  when  a  sound  as 
of  a  heavy  body  dragged  along  the  floor, 
alternating  with  a  loud  pounding  noise, 


so  people  at  flMsgab. 

announced  that   "  Gappy "    was    coming   to 
make  him  a  visit. 

To  grasp  the  significance  of  this  announce 
ment,  it  is  proper  to  explain  that  "  Gappy  " 
was  the  abbreviated  title  of  Grandfather 
Meiggs,  and  to  give  that  venerable  person  a 
word  of  introduction. 


VI. 

A    LOQUACIOUS     ESCULENT. 

APPY,"  as  he  delighted  to  reiterate 
in  the  course  of  conversation,  was 
"  eighty-two,  goin'  on  eighty- 
three."  He  had  been  disabled, 
as  to  his  left  side,  by  a  stroke  of  paralysis, 
and  this  misfortune,  with  the  manifold  evils 
it  entailed,  he  was  wont  to  refer  to  compre 
hensively  as  his  '  difficulty." 

It  often  happens  that  when  one  part  of 
the  human  body  loses  its  powers,  some  other 
portion  is  correspondingly  strengthened. 
In  accordance  with  this  principle,  the  entire 
locomotive  power  of  Grandfather  Meiggs 
had  settled  in  his  tongue.  From  the  hour 
when  the  nickel-plated  alarm  clock  of  the 
hired  man  announced  the  call  of  incense- 
breathing  morn,  until  the  parting  day  was 
bowed  out  by  the  garden  sunflowers,  Gappy's 
tongue  knew  but  three  intervals  of  silence. 
Anecdotes  of  people  known  during  his  long 
81 


{people  at 


and  eventful  career  —  gossip  about  the  neigh 
bors  —  the  daily  features  of  his  own  "  diffi 
culty"  —  politics  and  puddiu'  —  "reddishes" 
and  religion  —  all  these  furnished  themes  for 
his  talk,  which  maundered  on  in  endless  and 
exasperating  streams.  His  conversational 
equipment  was  deficient  in  nothing,  except 
terminal  facilities. 

He  loved  especially  to  dwell  upon  his  recol 
lections  of  the  late  George  Washington  —  and 
though  their  historic  value  was  impaired  by 
the  circumstance  that  the  date  of  his  birth, 
so  often  referred  to,  was  some  years  subse 
quent  to  the  death  of  Washington,  yet  these 
anecdotes  were  in  a  high  degree  picturesque 
and  entertaining,  and  had  been  so  often 
repeated  that  they  had  become  as  much  a 
part  of  his  mental  constitution  as  were 
onions  of  his  physical  being. 

It  should  be  said  that,  owing  to  the  limited 
supply  and  lack  of  fixedness  of  his  teeth,  as 
well  as  to  the  waning  capacity  of  his  sense 
of  taste,  Gappy  was  restricted  to  a  narrow 
range  of  diet. 

"  Spoon  vittles,"  he  declined  to  touch,  and 
as  onions  were  the  only  thing  which  he 
seemed  really  to  "relish,"  he  confined  him 
self  almost  entirely  to  that  fragrant  esculent. 


21  Xoquacfous  Esculent. 

It  resulted,  of  course,  that  his  system  was 
completely  saturated  with  onion. 

Every  atom  of  every  tissue  was  rooted,  and 
grounded,  and  built  up  on  onion. 

Gappy  was  a  talking  onion. 

The  members  of  the  family  had  come  to 
regard,  or  disregard,  his  talk  much  as  they 
did  the  ticking  of  the  old  eight-day  clock. 
No  doubt  they  would  have  felt  uneasy  if,  by 
any  chance,  his  mechanical  clatter  had  been 
interrupted.  His  voice,  though  a  cracked 
treble,  was  so  shrill  and  penetrating  as  to 
seem  independent  of  ordinary  limitations  of 
space. 

Throughout  the  doctor's  stay  in  the  house, 
it  had  been  an  unbroken  accompaniment  to 
his  literary  labors.  At  times  it  seemed  to 
make  its  way  up  the  back-stairs  and  through 
the  long,  irregular  hallway  to  his  room. 

Again  it  was  evident  that  the  sound 
reached  him  through  the  sitting-room  and 
front  stairway. 

When  all  the  doors  were  closed,  it  driveled 
out  at  the  kitchen  window  on  the  further 
side  of  the  house,  groped  its  feeble  but  tena 
cious  way  back  past  the  woodshed  and  a 
long  line  of  rambling  outbuildings,  tottered 
around  behind  the  barn  and  back  on  the 


84  people  at 


other  side,  till  it  staggered  in  at  the  open 
window. 

He  had  not  a  moment's  doubt  that  if 
every  door  and  window  had  been  tightly 
sealed,  that  voice  would  have  clambered  up 
the  kitchen  chimney,  dragged  itself  along 
the  ridge-pole,  and  tumbling  down  the  front 
chimney,  have  drooled  its  way  out  at  the 
door  of  his  air-tight  stove.  Thus,  when  the 
combination  of  sounds  above  described  her 
alded  the  approach  of  Grandfather  Meiggs, 
the  doctor  was  prepared  to  welcome  him  as 
an  old  companion. 

After  considerable  fumbling  with  the 
latch,  the  venerable  visitor  knocked  the  door 
open  with  his  crutch,  and  made  his  way  into 
the  room. 

As  it  happened  that  his  sense  of  taste  had 
been  deadened  to  an  unusual  degree  by  a 
severe  cold,  he  had  been  subsisting  for 
several  days  almost  exclusively  upon  highly 
seasoned  onions. 

He  thumped  his  crutch  down  at  some  dis 
tance  in  advance,  and  then  pulled  himself  up 
to  it,  and,  by  repeating  this  process,  finally 
reached  the  invalid's  bedside.  AVith  a  grin 
of  sympathy  and  encouragement,  he  dragged 
a  chair  close  to  his  victim,  and  allowing 


B  XoQuacious  Esculent.  85 

the  crutch  to  fall  heavily  upon  the  doctor's 
sensitive  stomach,  collapsed  into  the  seat. 

Arranging  his  disabled  arm  upon  his  lap, 
and  taking  a  pinch  of  snuff,  he  informed  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  that  he  had  come  to  sit  with 
him  and  "chirk  him  up,"  and  immediately 
opened  a  flow  of  conversation. 

It  was  his  habit,  owing  doubtless  to  some 
minor  development  of  the  "difficulty,"  to 
wear  large  masses  of  cotton  stuffed  into  his 
ears.  Owing  to  a  failure  of  the  ordinary  sup 
ply,  he  had  utilized,  for  the  requirements  of 
one  ear,  an  ornamental  cotton  of  brilliant 
pink  hue,  while  a  large  wad  of  the  much 
soiled  "  white  "  material  projected  to  an  equal 
distance  from  the  opposite  side. 

Gappy  had  one  gesture,  which  he  used 
regularly,  at  intervals  of  about  ten  seconds, 
and  without  apparent  relevance  to  the  sub 
ject  of  his  discourse.  It  consisted  in  jerking 
his  right  and  comparatively  active  hand  up 
ward,  with  the  thumb  extended,  as  if  point 
ing  carelessly  to  some  object  over  his  shoulder. 

The  doctor's  head  swam.  He  had  a  hazy 
impression  of  Gappy's  shrivelled  face,  with 
its  weak  and  watery  eyes  fixed  steadily  upon 
himself.  He  was  vaguely  conscious  that  the 
old  gentleman,  in  his  shrill  and  piercing 


86  people  at 


tones,  was  informing  him  that  last  summer's 
"  boarder  "  had  been  "  took"  with  precisely  his 
own  symptoms,  which  had  rapidly  developed 
into  the  "  yaller  jandiss,"  whereby  the  boarder 
had  been  confined  to  the  house  for  four  or 
five  weeks. 

"  Be  yew  subjeck  to  pizon  ivry?"  he  con 
tinued,  changing  the  subject.  "  I  dew  hope 
yew  ain't,  for  they  say  it's  perticler  plenty 
deoun  by  the  river  where  yew  was  pokin' 
reound  witheout  much  of  ennythin'  on." 

In  the  hope  of  turning  the  conversation 
into  more  cheerful  channels,  the  doctor  in 
quired  after  his  visitor's  health,  and  Gappy 
replying  that  he  "hadn't  been  feelin'  reel 
spry,  along  back,"  set  out  upon  a  detailed 
diagnosis  of  every  phase  of  the  "difficulty." 
After  dwelling  in  succession  upon  other 
portions  of  his  anatomy,  he  finally  reached 
the  lower  extremities,  and  remarked  that  he 
would  have  one  of  his  toes  cut  off,  if  he 
thought  he  could  "  meet  it." 

"Do  yer  s'pose  I  could  meet  it?"  he 
inquired  anxiously.  The  doctor  was  uncer 
tain  what  he  meant.  Did  he  hope  to  be 
reunited  to  the  amputated  member  in  some 
future  sphere  of  existence,  and  under  more 
auspicious  conditions'?  or  was  he  merely  in 


21  ^Loquacious  Esculent.  87 

doubt   as   to    meeting    the    shock    of    the 
operation? 

Whilst  he  was  revolving  these  problems, 
Mr.  Meigg's  continued  meditatively :  "  Thar 
wuz  old  Deekin  Meeker  't  lives  deoun  ter 
Pieville.  He'd  lied  a  dreadful  bad  corn  onter 
his  leetle  toe  fer  a  number  o'  years.  Waall, 
one  time  when  ther  wuz  a  spell  o'  wet 
weather  comin'  on,  he  felt  an  uncommon 
bad  gripe-like  inter  this  'ere  toe,  an'  he  sez  ter 
himself,  sezee,  'I  won't  stand  it  no  longer,' 
sezee,  'n'  he  run  right  deoun  ter  the  mill, 
whar  the  buzz-saw  wuz  a  goin' — yer  know 
there's  a  saw-mill  deoun  ter  Pieville — a 
currus  name?  Waall  yis,  'tis  kinder  currus, 
named  arter  old  Kernel  Pye,  yer  know,  't 
owns  the  mill  'n'  lives  in  the  big  yaller  heouse 
long  side  o'  the  store.  He  allers  wuz  asing- 
ler  old  critter.  Had  a  fambly  o'  more'n  a 
dozen  young-uns — all  on  'em  boys.  Gin  'em 
all  Scripter  names — fust  one  from  the  Old 
Testament,  'n'  middle  one  from  the  New 
Testament.  Thar  wuz  Liviticus  Matthew 
Pye,  Deuteronermy  Mark  'n'  so  on  's  long's 
the  names  held  eout.  Arter  Pocrephy  Eeve- 
lations  wuz  born,  thar  didn't  seem  to  be  no 
more  names  left.  'T  happened  kinder  for 
tunate  the'  wuz  a  feller  boarded  't  old  Pye's 


people  at 


the  next  summer  't  lived  in  Boston — or  least 
wise  he  claimed  to  live  in  Boston — but  he 
let  on  that  it  wuz  in  one  o'  the  back  streets 
whar  he  stopped,  Back  Bay  Deestrict  I  bleeve 
he  called  it,  so't  mebbe  thar  might  'er  bin 
some  things  he  didn't  know — but  anyway 
he'd  traviled  in  furrin  parts  considerable,  'n' 
he  giv  the  old  kernel  some  new  pints;  so't 
when  the  next  one  wuz  born,  he  gin  him  an 
outlandish  name — Zendy  Vesty  Veeder  's 
near's  I  kin  git  it. 

"  0'  course  them  terublelong  names  wan't 
o'  no  sort  o'  use,  so't  they  mostly  gin  'em 
nicknames.  Thar  wuz  Lamintations  Acts — 
he  got  kinder  flatted  eout  'long  o'  cupplin' 
cars  over  ter  Dothan  Mills,  so  they  most 
generally  calls  him  Squash  Pie,  tho'  I  bleeve 
his  folks  call  him  Lamb  Pie. 

"  Then  there's  Song  o'  Solomon  John — 
him  they  mostly  calls  Custard  Pie — Cuss  Pye, 
fer  short;  'n'  if  all  they  say's  true,  they 
couldn't  er  got  no  name  'twud  have  fitted 
him  better. 

"  Habakkuk  Colloshuns,  his  regler  name's 
Huck,  short  for  huckleberry.  Haggai  He 
brews — they  allers  calls  him  Punk — fer 
Punkin,  yer  know.  But  Zendy  Vesty 
Veeder  's  got  abeout  the  most  singlerest 


a  loquacious  Esculent.  89 

name.  The  folks  call  him  Elder,  tho'  seem- 
in'ly  he's  most  the  youngest,  an'  furzino  he 
may  be  the  youngest,  an'  its  dead  sure  he  ain't 
fit  to  be  elder  o'  no  church.  Like  enough 
Elder's  short  for  elderberry.  No,  Elder 
ain't  the  youngest  nuther,  an'  I'm  glad 
suthin'  put  me  in  mind  o'  there  bein'  another 
one,  cuz  I  bleeve  I  told  ye  they  wuz  all 
boys.  I  'member  o'  hearin'  't  there  wuz 
a  gal  't  the  eend  o'  the  hull  litter,  'n'  old 
Pye  he  writ  to  the  feller  from  the  Back 
Bay  Deestrict  near  Boston  fer  to  find  eout 
what  to  call  her;  'n'  he  writ  back  to  call 
her  Cory  Ann  Salmud,  or  Talmud,  I  guess 
it  wuz. 

"  0'  course  nobody  could  keep  in  mind  no 
sech  name  as  that  'are,  so  I  heerd  tell  's 
soon  's  she  got  big  enuff  ter  come  eout  'n' 
play  reound  in  the  street,  the  neighbors  be 
gun  ter  call  her  Mud  Pie,  fer  short." 

As  Gappy  emphasized  the  mention  of  each 
variety  of  pastry  with  his  peculiar  gesture,  it 
seemed  to  his  auditor  as  if  he  were  tossing 
the  successive  pies  over  his  shoulder,  and  the 
doctor  glanced  instinctively  at  the  floor  be 
hind,  to  note  the  result. 

"Waall,"  he  resumed,  "I  wuz  a-startin' 
ter  tell  ye  abeout  that  'ere  toe  o'  Deacon 


oo  people  at 


Meeker's.  Yersee  he  got  the  toe  fixed  right 
front  o'  the  buzz-saw  -  " 

But  here  mercifully  Mrs.  Meiggs  appeared 
and  ordered  Gappy  ignomiuiously  to  bed. 

The  doctor's  deliverance  had  come  none 
too  soon.  Eising  and  opening  the  windows, 
he  fanned  the  door  back  and  forth  in  the 
hope  of  diluting  the  atmosphere  of  solid 
onion  with  a  little  outer  air.  The  effort  ap 
peared  hopeless.  The  onion  had  entered 
into  his  soul. 


VII. 

A    MIDNIGHT   SOMERSAULT. 


UIET  was  restored — but  not  sleep. 
The  hot  "  squshy"  feather-bed 
was  unendurable.  The  restless 
clergyman  had  now  sunk  into  its 
profound  and  smothering  depths  from  every 
portion  of  its  surface.  The  feathers  were 
hollowed  out  in  some  regions,  and  forced 
elsewhere  into  adamantine  mounds  and 
ridges. 

Across  the  foot  of  the  bed  ran  a  well  de 
fined  terminal  moraine,  indicting  the  drift 
of  propulsion  from  the  doctor's  restless  feet. 
The  sheets,  in  his  feverish  tossings,  had 
been  rolled  into  hard,  rope-like  coils,  and 
the  pillows  were  flattened,  wrinkled,  and 
hot  to  the  touch.  In  desperation,  he  jumped 
up  and  pulled  off  the  feather-bed,  unwound 
the  sheets,  and  lay  down  upon  the  husk  mat 
tress. 

This  was  a  vast  improvement,  but  just  as 
the   doctor  was  dropping  off    to  sleep,  he 
91 


92  people  at 


would  become  painfully  conscious  of  the 
hard  bunches  in  the  mattress,  which  made 
it  difficult  to  lie  long  in  one  position. 

His  nerves  were  now  excited  and  his  ears 
strangely  sensitive  to  the  voices  of  the 
night. 

As  a  blissful  sensation  of  drowsiness  began 
at  last  to  creep  over  him,  a  sudden  squeal 
ing  and  scrambling  of  rats  in  the  wall  close 
to  his  ear  was  so  startling,  in  the  solemn 
silence,  that  he  sprang  up  with  heart  wildly 
beating.  "When  hardly  settled  again,  some 
thing  rattled  down  the  chimney  and  banged 
against  the  zinc  fireboard,  followed  by  ex 
cited  twitterings  up  the  chimney. 

After  holding  his  breath  for  some  moments 
in  awful  suspense,  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  a  chimney  swallow's  nest  had  fallen 
down  the  flue. 

He  was  now  wide  awake.  It  seemed 
impossible  to  close  his  eyes.  He  could 
hear  the  uncanny  hooting  of  a  great  owl, 
like  the  baying  of  demon  hounds  after 
some  ghostly  prey.  It  was  repeated  at  in 
tervals,  each  time  more  faintly,  until  it 
faded  away  in  the  distance. 

Then  the  dead  silence  was  oppressive. 
A  sharp  creaking  in  the  floor,  due  ap- 


21  /iM&nigbt  Somersault. 


parently  to  no  natural  cause,  startled  him 
again.  He  listened,  without  breathing, 
but  it  was  not  repeated.  He  could  hear 
a  horse  stamping  in  the  distant  stable. 
The  slightest  sound  was  unaccountably 
magnified.  The  booming  flight  of  a 
beetle  past  his  window  seemed  like  the  near 
rattle  of  a  railway  train.  At  times  a  stratum 
of  fresh  air  was  wafted  in  through  the  open 
window,  but  was  always  strangled  by  the 
overwhelming  onion,  which  returned  after 
such  seasons  of  refreshing,  with  all  the  hor 
rors  of  the  original  infliction. 

And  meantime  he  was  inwardly  conscious 
that  the  horrogag  was  not  idle.  He  had 
heard  that  a  cold,  wet  bandage,  applied  to 
the  back  of  the  head,  was  a  useful  soporific, 
and  now  decided  to  test  its  value. 

Wetting  a  towel,  he  tied  it  around  his 
head,  and  again  composed  himself  for  re 
freshing  slumber. 

Gradually  a  drowsy  influence  began  creep 
ing  over  him. 

A  long,  dismal  howl  from  under  the  win 
dow  aroused  the  unfortunate  man  just  as  he 
was  losing  consciousness. 

The  cause  of  this  disturbance,  he  drowsily 
surmised,  was  the  deacon's  yellow  dog  Joe. 
7 


94  people  at  ptegab. 

The  existence  of  this  animal  had  been  im 
pressed  upon  the  doctor's  attention  on  the 
preceding  night. 

For  some  time  the  deacon's  chicken  yard 
had  been  visited  by  a  predatory  bird,  of  fine 
plumage  and  extensive  advertising  facilities, 
fragrant  in  the  terminology  of  science  as  the 
Mephitis  Americana. 

On  the  previous  night,  this  invader  had 
been  detected  by  the  dog  Joe,  and,  with  well 
intended  but  misguided  zeal,  had  been  at 
tacked  and  apprehended. 

The  inevitable  accompaniment  of  such  a 
conflict  had  aroused  the  household  and  dis 
turbed  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  in  his  literary 
employment. 

Ostracism,  the  fortune  of  many  patriotic 
but  ill-fated  warriors,  had  overtaken  the  dog 
Joseph.  He  had  now  returned  by  night,  to 
protest  against  the  indignity. 

There  was  something  in  the  melancholy 
moonlight,  which  seemed  to  move  his  per 
turbed  spirit  to  the  most  distressing  lamenta 
tions.  It  was  not  long  before  the  unearthly 
howl  was  heard  again. 

The  wet  towel  had  become  untied  and 
worked  down  between  the  doctor's  shoulder- 
blades,  whence  it  sent  unpleasant  chills 


dfcifcmgbt  Somersault. 


through  his  person.  He  roused  himself, 
with  an  effort,  and  carried  it  to  the  window 
as  a  possible  missile. 

Joseph  was  sitting  just  underneath,  with 
head  thrown  back,  and  mouth  half  opened 
in  the  very  act  of  emitting  another  melan 
choly  wail. 

Wetting  the  towel  again  in  the  pitcher, 
Dr.  Van  Xuynthlee  took  careful  aim  and 
dropped  it.  As  the  cold,  wet  cloth  fell 
heavily  across  the  dog's  back,  a  howl,  now 
fairly  under  way,  was  choked  down  with  a 
gulp  of  startled  terror,  and  with  one  pierc 
ing  yelp  the  beast  fled,  the  damp  towel  still 
clinging  over  its  back,  and  trailing  behind 
as  he  vanished  into  the  shadows. 

Sleep  was  now  out  of  the  question,  and, 
wrapping  a  blanket  about  him,  the  doctor 
took  a  seat  by  the  open  window.  There  he 
remained  until  after  the  moon  had  set.  The 
room  was  then  dark;  but  outside  there  still 
lingered  a  weird,  ghostly  light.  Through 
the  stillness  came  a  sound  as  of  some  one  mov 
ing  in  the  sitting-room  below.  It  was  so 
distinct  that  the  doctor  groped  his  way  to 
the  hall  and  then  cautiously  down  the 
stairs. 

The  creaking  of  the  stairway  would  have 


96  people  at  pfsgab. 

proved  an  excellent  burglar  alarm,  but  its 
effectiveness  was  not  put  to  the  test.  The 
sounds  came  evidently  from  the  blinds  and 
shades,  rattled  by  the  fresh  westerly  breeze. 
Eeturning  with  more  confidence,  the  doctor 
slipped,  in  the  darkness,  and  slid  down  sev 
eral  steps.  Even  at  high  noon,  a  stout 
clergyman  can  seldom  slide  down-stairs  with 
out  arousing  general  interest.  In  the  dead 
of  night,  the  effect  was  magnified  many 
diameters. 

Deacon  Meiggs  quickly  appeared  at  the 
door  of  his  room,  and,  after  a  moment's  talk 
with  the  doctor,  went  down  to  secure  the 
blinds  and  windows.  Other  doors  opened 
softly.  Across  the  hallway  could  be  heard 
grumblings  from  the  apartments  of  Major 
Peavy. 

It  might  have  been  fifteen  minutes  later 
when  there  was  a  light  tap  at  Dr.  Van  Nuyn- 
thlee's  door.  On  opening  it  he  found  no 
one,  but  on  the  floor,  by  a  lighted  candle, 
was  a  large  yellow  bowl  of  heavy  earthen 
ware,  filled  with  some  steaming  liquid.  It 
seethed  and  bubbled  as  if  just  from  the 
fire. 

Aunt  Olympia,  alarmed  at  the  restlessness 
of  her  patient,  had  heated  another  "  kittle  " 


H  dfcf&nfgbt  Somersault.  97 

of  boiling  horrogag,  to  soothe  his  troubled 
nerves. 

As  the  doctor  stood  in  the  doorway,  a 
familiar  sound  was  wafted  in  on  the  night 
air.  The  dog  Joseph  had  returned  to  his 
favorite  station,  and  was  again  bewailing  the 
degeneracy  of  the  age. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  decided  to  test  the 
virtue  of  the  nectareous  panacea  as  an  exter 
nal  application.  Taking  a  towel,  to  grasp 
the  fiery  basin  firmly,  without  burning  his 
hands,  he  carefully  approached  the  window. 
The  dog  was  again  within  easy  range. 
Again  the  aim  was  unerring. 

As  he  leaned  far  out,  with  both  hands 
stretched  before  him,  the  bowl  slipped  from 
his  fingers,  and  fell  with  a  crushing  thud  on 
the  dog's  extended  tail,  at  the  instant  Avhen 
the  scalding  contents  struck  his  back. 

The  efficacy  of  the  pharmaceutical  mosaic 
was  never  so  strikingly  illustrated.  The 
creature  had  been  surprised  in  the  middle  of 
a  prolonged  howl,  which  changed  to  a  screech 
of  agony  and  terror.  The  doctor  could  trace 
only  what  seemed,  in  the  waning  moonlight, 
a  streak  of  yelping  lightning,  vanishing  in 
the  direction  of  the  barn.  But  soon  the 
piercing  yelps  sounded  more  distinctly  on  the 


people  at 


other  side  of  the  buildings.  Joseph  was 
racing  around  the  house.  A  moment  more, 
and  he  rushed  under  the  window  in  the 
same  direction  as  before;  and  now  the 
sounds  showed  that  he  was  repeating  the 
circuit  of  the  buildings. 

Deacon  Meiggs,  who  had  not  yet  returned 
to  bed,  hastened  to  open  the  front  door,  to 
learn  the  cause  of  this  new  disturbance. 

He  thus  stood  in  the  doorway,  clad  in  the 
breezy  garments  of  the  night,  just  as"  the 
frenzied  brute  tore  around  the  corner  of  the 
house.  Seeing  the  door  open,  the  dog  in 
stinctively  sought  relief  within,  and,  leaping 
up  the  steps,  shot  like  an  arrow  between  the 
bare  legs  of  the  astonished  deacon. 

Deacon  Meshack  Meiggs  had  not  been 
intending  to  venture  out  into  the  chilly 
night  air;  but  when  this  animated  projectile 
impinged  upon  his  shins,  and  wedged  itself 
between  his  limbs,  he  was  prevailed  upon  to 
modify  his  plans.  He  was  induced  to  turn  a 
compound  somersault  down  the  front  steps. 

It  was  not  any  plain,  common  "  somer 
set,"  but  a  sideways,  twisting,  complicated 
masterpiece.  If  secured  by  some  fortunate 
circus,  it  would  have  been  reserved  for  the 
place  of  highest  honor.  After  the  crowd 


21  AfMtfsbt  Somersault.  99 

were  sated  with  the  monotonous  somer 
saults  of  the  ordinary  athletes;  after  even 
the  gyrations  of  the  star  contortionist  had 
ceased  to  awaken  enthusiasm,  the  man  with 
the  hoarse  voice  and  the  long-tailed  coat 
would  have  mounted  a  stool,  and  proclaimed 
it  as  Professor  Insidout's  ''Sublime  Act," 
and  its  execution  would  have  been  hailed 
with  thunders  of  applause. 

But,  as  it  was,  no  one  was  present  except 
Deacon  Meiggs,  and  the  deacon  was  the  last 
man  in  the  world  to  applaud  his  own 
achievements. 

The  doctor,  listening  at  his  window,  was 
made  aware  by  a  dull  concussion,  followed  by 
smothered  exclamations,  that  something 
unusual  had  occurred;  and  he  soon  heard 
Deacon  Meiggs  announcing  excitedly  that 
the  dog  was  "took  with  hydrophoby,"  and 
screaming  to  the  hired  man  to  hurry  down 
with  the  gun. 

Meantime  Joseph  was  not  inactive.  Now 
his  yelping  progress  through  the  "  settin' 
room  "  was  marked  by  the  noise  of  over 
turned  furniture.  Anon  it  was  evident  that 
he  was  tearing  in  mad  circles  around  the 
best  room.  A  prolonged  clatter  announced 
his  collision  with  the  ornamental  what-not 


loo  people  at 


in  the  farther  corner.  A  resounding  crash 
signalized  the  fall  of  the  Rogers  statuary  by 
the  door. 

Not  finding  the  atmosphere  of  the  house 
congenial,  he  shot  out  again,  and,  by  the 
time  the  gun  arrived,  was  far  away  on  the 
road  to  Dothan. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  room  was  dark,  the 
draught  of  air  having  extinguished  the 
candle.  He  was  alarmed  at  the  tremendous 
uproar  below,  and  started,  with  delirious 
haste,  toward  the  door. 

He  supposed  that  he  was  going  toward  the 
door,  but  in  the  excitement  he  overlooked 
the  familiar  law  of  Nature,  that  whenever 
a  person  has  fixed  his  bearings,  amid  the 
night  watches,  with  exact  precision,  the 
sides  of  the  room  revolve,  so  that  he  cannot 
move  far  in  any  direction  without  meeting 
a  surprise. 

The  surprise  encountered  by  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Van  Nuynthlee  was  an  old-fashioned, 
air-tight,  cast-iron  stove.  His  shins,  coming 
in  contact  with  the  projecting  hearth-plate 
under  the  door,  paused  at  that  point,  but 
the  upper  portion  of  his  person  proceeded 
on  its  course. 

Plunging  forward,  his  head  butted  into 


B  dRRmfflbt  Somersault.  101 

the  stove-pipe,  at  the  further  end,  and  car 
ried  away  two  full  lengths  of  pipe.  The 
adjoining  section  above  was  held  in  place  by 
a  wire  from  the  ceiling,  but  its  open  and 
agitated  orifice  poured  down  upon  the  doc 
tor's  head  a  deluge  of  soot.  lie  gathered 
himself  up,  and  peered  around  for  new  bear 
ings.  A  dim  light  from  the  hall  below 
now  guided  him  to  the  door;  and,  leaning 
over  the  bannisters,  he  was  able  to  discern 
what  was  going  on. 

Deacon  Meiggs  could  be  heard  describing 
to  his  assembled  household  the  unaccount 
able  behavior  of  the  dog,  and  his  own  re 
markable  experience. 

When  they  started  to  return,  Aunt  Olimpy, 
who  was  waiting  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs, 
ran  nimbly  up  toward  her  room. 

She  came  so  suddenly,  and  Dr.  Van  Nuyn- 
thlee  was  so  absorbed  in  the  conversation  be 
low,  that  he  did  not  notice  her  until  al 
most  at  the  head  of  the  stairs.  When  he 
did  awake  to  the  situation,  he  made  a  tre 
mendous  plunge  toward  his  own  door. 

Aunt  Olimpy,  startled  at  this  sudden  appa 
rition,  turned  wildly  down-stairs  again,  just 
in  time  to  come  in  forcible  contact  with  the 
gouty  major,  who  was  making  his  way  up, 


102  people  at 


mumbling  fiercely  over  this  new  interruption 
of  his  rest.  Through  the  closed  door,  the 
doctor  could  hear  shrill  squeals  and  savage 
ejaculations. 

As  Major  Peavy  finally  came  puffing  up  in 
the  darkness,  and  stepped  heavily  on  an 
imaginary  and  superfluous  stair  at  the  top, 
the  consequent  wrench  upon  his  system 
seemed  all  that  was  wanting  to  open  wide 
the  flood-gates  of  his  wrath. 

Deacon  Meiggs  seized  the  lantern  and  has 
tened  up  to  light  the  family  to  their  rooms. 
And  now  the  crowning  catastrophe  of  the 
night  was  revealed. 

Adolphus,  awakened  by  the  tumult,  and 
finding  himself  deserted,  had  dragged  his 
way  into  the  hall.  Either  a  sudden  chill 
or  the  shock  of  the  excitement  had  proved 
too  much  for  his  flickering  vital  flame.  It 
had  gone  out  without  an  appreciable  splutter. 

The  enraged  major  rushed  down  once 
more  to  fix  the  guilt  of  these  commotions, 
and  of  the  resulting  tragedy,  upon  the  offend 
ing  person.  It  was  plain  that  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee  was  the  sole  cause  of  the  fatal 
disturbance. 

There  was  soon  an  emphatic  knock  at  the 
doctor's  door.  Some  one  rattled  the  latch 


B  /iMCmfgbt  Somersault.  103 

and  tried  to  enter.  The  doctor  leaned 
against  the  door,  and  was  sustained  by  hear 
ing  Deacon  Meiggs  reasoning  with  the 
major,  and  entreating  him  to  let  the  matter 
rest  until  morning.  He  was  at  last  coaxed 
to  his  own  room,  and  the  family  dispersed. 
The  hysterical  lamentations  of  Mrs.  Peavy 
continued  unabated,  after  the  major's  anath 
emas  had  sunk  to  a  confused  grumble. 


VIII. 

A  FAIR  EXCHANGE. 

HEN  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  awoke  in 
broad    daylight,  the  appearance 
of  the  room  suggested  the  recent 
presence  of  a  robust  and  pains 
taking  cyclone. 

As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  clothe  himself, 
he  very  cautiously  opened  the  door  and 
peered  out.  The  house  seemed  wholly  de 
serted.  Tiptoeing  his  way  down  the  back 
stairs,  he  found  grandfather  Meiggs  alone  in 
the  kitchen.  It  was  the  season  when  straw 
berries  must  and  shall  be  preserved,  and 
Gappy  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  watch 
ing  a  simmering  kettleful  of  prospective 
preserves.  He  needed  no  solicitation  to  give 
a  full  account  of  all  that  had  occurred. 

The  men,  he  said,  were  at  work  haying; 
the  women  folks  were  in  the  garden  picking 
peas,  and  Major  and  Mrs.  Peavy  had  gone  to 
the  village  to  procure  a  suitable  casket  for 
the  remains  of  Adolphus. 
104 


jfair  Bjcbange.  105 


Gappy  expressed  the  opinion  that  they 
were  "  goin'  ter  hev  a  regler  funeral.  I  heerd 
ole  Peevy  blovvin'  about  the  ob-sick-wys,"  he 
said.  "  I  dunno  as  ter  whuther  the'll  be 
enny  opportunity  giv  ter  view  the  remanes, 
or  whuther  the'  won't.  I  tell  'em  the'  ain't 
but  one  way  ter  make  a  berryin'  pass  off 
smooth-like  and  please  the  neighbors.  I 
'member  the  time  Zadoc  Zeeks  was  berried  — 
him  that  wuz  killed  'long  o'  the  chimbly  fall- 
in'  onter  'im  and  squashin'  of  'im  in,  time 
the  Widder  Griffy's  house  burned  deown. 

"  0'  course  the  neighbors  all  lotted  on 
viewin'  the  remanes  'n'  the'  wuz  a  big  creowd 
ter  the  church,  but  they  didn't  open  the 
remanes  at  all.  I  'member  it  stirred  up  con- 
sider'ble  feelin'. 

"  Fust  off  ole  Peevy  wuz  a-goin'  ter  hev 
the  remanes  put  up  in  alkehawl,  but  the 
deacon  he  told  him  he'd  hev  ter  git  a  doc 
tor's  certiffikit  that  he  needed  the  alkehawl 
fer  medissinal  pupposes,  an'  then  go  ter  the 
likker  agent  deown  ter  the'  Corners  fer  ter 
git  the  sperrits,  an'  like  enuf  he'd  hev  ter 
fetch  a  letter  from  one  o'  the  seelectmen, 
an'  he  thought  the'  wouldn't  be  skusly  time 
ter  wait." 

The  doctor  heard  of  the  failure  of  this 


106  people  at  flMsgab. 

plan  with  especial  regret,  for  he  felt  that 
the  mere  incident  of  Adolphus'  complete  de 
mise  would  make  him  no  less  lively  and 
attractive  as  a  companion,  while  affording 
a  grateful  relief  from  constant  care  and 
anxiety. 

"  I  wouldn't  choose  ter  see  ole  Peevy  jest 
now  ef  I  wuz  in  yeour  place,"  continued 
Gappy,  as  the  doctor  was  washing  his  sooty 
face  at  the  kitchen  pump — "  he  certainly  has 
been  goin'  on  terruble.  Bin  jawin'  some 
abeout  bringing  a  consterbul  up  from  the 
Corners.  Oh,  this  'ere  sorter  puts  me  in 
mind" — he  went  on,  as  the  doctor  edged 
toward  the  door — "o'  what  I  wuz  a-startin' 
ter  tell  ye'  las'  night  abeout  Deacon  Meeker's 
toe.  Ye'  see,  this  'ere  buzz-saw  must  'er 

been  runnin'  kinder  wabbly,  for  when " 

But  Gappy  found  himself  talking  to  empty 
air.  The  doctor  had  fled. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  chief  anxiety  was 
still  regarding  the  Cortright  diamond.  Feel 
ing  that  that  must  be  first  recovered,  he  now 
took  himself  to  the  hay-field  to  see  if  Deacon 
Meiggs  could  spare  a  horse  and  wagon  to  re 
new  the  search. 

As  he  passed  the  barnyard,  he  observed  his 
enterprising  cow  chained  to  a  stone  post  and 


jfair  Bjcbange.  10? 


chewing  the  cud  of  meditation.  Gappy  had 
already  informed  him  that  the  cow  had  been 
found  in  the  early  morning,  regaling  herself 
in  the  patch  of  oats  behind  the  barn,  after 
transferring  a  variety  of  nutriment  to  her 
gifted  and  versatile  stomach. 

The  deacon  awaited  his  approach  with 
ghastly  solemnity,  but  seemed  appeased  by 
the  doctor's  explanations  and  his  promise  to 
pay  for  all  damages. 

A  boy  was  sent  to  harness  the  white  mare 
to  the  bellows-top  buggy  while  the  doctor 
should  be  taking  a  hasty  breakfast,  and  to 
guide  him  to  the  home  of  Mr.  Gummy,  whose 
son  had  found  the  diamond  pin.  Upon 
reaching  the  Gummy  residence,  after  a  five 
mile  drive,  Andrew  Jackson  Gummy  was 
sent  for  and  acquainted  with  the  business 
of  his  visitor. 

After  much  delay  a  boy  appeared  at  the 
door  and  reluctantly  approached  the  "  bellus- 
top."  The  knuckles  of  his  left  hand  were 
buried  in  one  eye,  while  tears  from  the  other 
were  allowed  to  stream  in  black-bordered 
channels  down  his  dirty  face.  It  seemed  evi 
dent  that  a  portion  of  the  visit  to  town  had 
been  passed  at  the  barber's,  as  his  hair  was 
amputated  close  to  the  scalp. 


108  people  at 


In  his  right  hand  he  grudgingly  held  out 
to  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  three  marbles,  a  half- 
eaten  apple,  a  jews-harp  with  the  tongue 
missing,  a  small  piece  of  chalk,  and  a  much 
masticated  piece  of  spruce  gum. 

"That's  all  there  is  left,"  he  whimpered; 
"  there  was  a  gooseberry  ball  an'  a  hunk  o' 
gingerbread,  but  I  et  'em  up  las'  night." 

He  had  made  a  "swap,"  and  seemed  hurt 
at  the  failure  to  appreciate  his  business 
sagacity.  He  was  agreeably  surprised,  how 
ever,  to  find  that  his  visitor  laid  no  claim  to 
the  proceeds  of  the  barter,  but  started  away 
in  great  haste  on  learning  the  name  and 
residence  of  Sammy  Gookin,  the  swapee. 

As  the  doctor's  guide  was  not  sure  of  the 
whereabouts  of  the  Gookin  estates,  the}' 
waited  impatiently  at  a  fork  in  the  roads  un 
til  a  man  upon  a  load  of  hay  came  along, 
who  was  able  to  give  them  explicit  direc 
tions. 

"Keep  right  along,"  he  said,  "on  the 
Babylon  turnpike  till  yer  turn  ter  the  right 
—  not  the  first  road,  that  '  ill  fetch  ye  ter 
Skunk  Medder  —  but  keep  on  threw  New 
Jerewsalum,  an'  deown  inter  Hell  Holler, 
an'  foller  along  Squowk  Crik,  an'  then  turn 
ter  the  right,  an'  it's  the  second  left-handed 


B  ffafr  Bjcbange.  109 

house.  You'll  know  it  by  the  two  popple 
trees  in  the  yard,  an'  a  slippery  ellum." 

Following  these  instructions  they  found 
the  place,  but  there  another  delay  was  in 
store.  The  young  man,  as  they  learned  from 
a  tiresome  old  woman  in  sole  charge  of  the 
house,  was  at  work  in  the  field.  After 
splashing  through  a  marshy  hollow,  perspir 
ing  up  a  steep  hill,  and  climbing  several 
fences,  Samuel  was  discovered  "  raking  after" 
the  hay-cart. 

While  he  had  not  parted  with  his  supposed 
title  to  the  brooch,  he  had  negotiated  a  loan, 
which  was,  under  the  circumstances,  quite 
as  annoying. 

A  circus  was  to  perform  to-day  at  Dothan 
Mills.  For  several  weeks  its  flaming  an 
nouncements  had  blazed  from  every  barn 
along  the  road.  To-day  its  presence  made 
that  enterprising  village  the  general  centre 
of  attraction. 

When  the  glittering  prize  brought  home 
by  her  brother  met  the  eye  of  Miss  Lorissa 
Gookin,  she  had  naturally  "  set  her  heart" 
upon  wearing  it  at  the  morrow's  festivities. 
Samuel  consented  to  the  loan  upon  terms 
which  were  plainly  usurious.  The  immedi 
ate  delivery  of  a  mince  turnover,  certain  re- 
8 


people  at 


pairs — of  obvious  propriety — in  the  lender's 
trousers,  with  the  promise  of  frying  dough 
nuts  twice  a  week  for  several  successive 
weeks,  had  closed  the  bargain ;  and  thus  the 
Golconda  diamond  had  gone  to  the  circus. 

To  assist  in  finding  the  young  lady,  the 
doctor  also  learned  that  she  had  set  out  a 
half-hour  earlier  attired  in  a  green  gown, 
with  yellow  sash,  and  a  red  feather  of  un 
usual  size  in  her  hat. 

The  doctor  had  some  hope  of  picking  her 
out  amid  the  throng  at  the  circus.  At  all 
events,  in  his  present  anxiety,  his  only  course 
was  to  push  on  as  fast  as  possible  to  Dothan 
Mills. 

It  was  about  three  miles  distant,  and  the 
road  thither  led  toward  the  river  valley.  As 
they  reached  the  brow  of  a  long  and  very 
steep  hill  leading  down  to  the  river,  the 
mill  village  came  in  sight,  and  in  a  field  on 
the  outskirts  the  white  circus  tent,  sur 
rounded  by  a  surging  mass  of  human  beings. 

Dr.  Van  Nunythlee's  heart  sank  as  he  re 
alized  the  almost  hopeless  task  before  him. 
As  the  clumsy  mare  picked  her  tedious 
way  down  the  hill,  his  worry  and  impatience 
swelled  with  every  step.  When  they  rounded 


B  ffair  Exchange,  ill 

a  knoll,  affording  a  view  of  the  road  below 
as  it  wound  down  the  long  hillside,  a  surpris 
ing  sight  met  their  gaze.  At  first  the  doctor 
noticed,  a  short  distance  below  them,  a  four- 
seated  wagon  standing  in  the  road.  The 
horse  had  been  taken  out,  and  was  cropping 
the  grass  by  the  roadside.  A  man  was  sit 
ting  on  a  log  near  by,  solemnly  smoking. 
His  wife  and  children  were  seated  in  the 
wagon,  and  seemed  to  be  opening  their  lunch 
baskets.  It  had  much  the  appearance  of  a 
temporary  encampment.  But  the  doctor  had 
scarcely  noticed  all  this,  when  his  eye  fell 
upon  another  similar  carriage  just  beyond, 
with  its  occupants  settled  down  in  their 
seats  in  stolid  resignation;  and  beyond  this 
another,  and  still  another ;  and  as  he  followed 
the  winding  line  of  the  descending  road,  he 
found,  wherever  a  glimpse  of  the  highway 
could  be  had,  evidence  of  a  continuous  line 
of  wagons  stringing  down  the  hillside.  And 
near  the  foot  of  the  hill  was  evidently  the 
cause  of  the  blockade. 

There,  at  a  narrow  point  in  the  road,  a 
crowd  of  men  were  collected  about  some  ob 
stacle  of  which  they  were  striving  to  clear 
the  way.  The  vehemence  of  their  gesticula- 


112  people  at  ptegab. 

tions  was  very  noticeable,  and  their  shouts, 
as  wafted  up  the  long  hillside,  seemed  of 
no  less  violence.  To  a  stranger  the  whole 
scene  was  unintelligible,  but  the  doctor's 
companion,  as  would  any  resident  of  Pisgah 
or  its  vicinity,  gave  the  explanation  at  once. 
It  was  Elder  Bawker. 

News  of  the  obstruction,  and  of  progress 
toward  its  removal,  was  passed  up  the  line 
from  time  to  time  like  water  at  a  lire,  to 
cool  the  fevered  anxiety  of  late  comers. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  sought  eagerly  for  in 
formation.  With  gloomy  brevity  his  next 
neighbor  replied,  "  The  elder's  wheels  is  het. " 

Being  familiar  with  delays  in  railway 
travel  caused  by  a  hot  box,  the  doctor  readily 
perceived  that  a  wagon  might  suffer  a  like 
fate,  after  long  neglect  to  anoint  its  axles 
with  bland  and  soothing  lubricants. 

Where  Elder  Bawker's  buggy  had  come  to 
a  stand-still,  it  happened  that  the  banks 
sloped  upward  from  the  roadway  with  un 
usual  abruptness.  A  hay-cart,  trying  to  pass 
the  disabled  vehicle,  had  overturned,  its  top 
pling  load  falling  toward  and  very  largely 
upon  Elder  Bawker,  and  compl"eting  a  for 
midable  barricade. 


ffafr  Bjcbange.  113 


Though  the  doctor  was  too  remote  to  aid 
in  the  work  of  rescue  and  of  clearing  the 
way,  it  was  natural  that  Elder  Bawker  should 
form  a  subject  of  inquiry  and  contemplation 
during  his  enforced  leisure. 


IX. 

AN    INTERESTING    OBSTACLE. 


LDER  BAWKEK,  as  may  be  sur 
mised,  is  not  a  subject  to  be  hasti 
ly  passed  by.  Not  that  the  elder 
was  an  intentional  obstructionist. 
When  his  unwieldy  figure  chanced  to  bar 
the  pathway  of  human  progress,  the  painful 
deliberation  with  which  he  moved  aside  arose 
from  certain  physical  infirmities.  These 
were  of  long  standing,  and  had  their  origin 
in  an  attack  of  palsy  or  some  kindred  ill, 
which  had  permanently  rendered  any  move 
ment  of  his  huge  and  unmanageable  bulk  a 
matter  of  peculiar  difficulty.  The  elder's 
method  of  locomotion  was  familiar  to  every 
inhabitant  of  Pisgah  Plain :  generally  with 
one  arm  clasping  a  fence,  and  propped  on  the 
other  side  by  a  cane.  No  process  analogous 
to  a  distinct  step  could  ever  be  observed  with 
the  unaided  vision.  There  would  be  a  series 
of  inarticulate  rumblings  and  gruntings, 
114 


Bn  Interesting  Obstacle.  us 

gradually  increasing  in  intensity,  and  an 
evident  effort  to  proceed  forward;  then  a 
season  of  repose  and  anon  new  premonitions 
of  movement.  By  observing  the  elder's  posi 
tion  when  passing  him  on  the  way  to  the  field 
for  a  load  of  hay,  and  again  when  returning 
on  the  loaded  cart,  it  was  often  possible  to 
discover  a  change  in  location.  The  regu 
larity  of  his  attendance  at  sacred  services  was 
unfailing.  Soon  after  breakfast,  he  was 
always  to  be  seen  working  his  way  along  the 
wayside  fences  toward  the  church.  Generally, 
he  reached  the  sanctuary  and  began  his  labor 
ious  progress  up  the  aisle  to  his  seat  at  the 
side  of  the  pulpit,  shortly  after  the  entire 
congregation  was  seated.  The  time  occu 
pied  in  covering  that  distance  varied  very 
considerably  on  different  occasions.  In  rare 
instances,  the  elder  was  known  to  have 
reached  his  pew  before  the  announcement  of 
the  text.  Generally  it  was  at  about  the 
middle  of  the  sermon  (say  from  twelfthly  to 
fifteenthly)  that  a  regular,  rhythmic  sound 
emanating  from  the  elder's  pew  indicated 
that  he  had  reached  his  regular  place  of  re 
pose.  It  happened,  occasionally,  when  spec 
ially  fatigued  by  his  long  walk,  that  the 
rendering  of  the  closing  hymn  was  in  pro- 


116  people  at 


gress  before  he  collapsed  into  his  seat;  but 
he  never,  in  a  single  instance,  failed  to  in 
tercept  the  benediction. 

An  equally  familiar  figure  was  the  elder's 
devoted  sister  Hannah.  After  setting  her 
brother  adrift  on  the  early  Sabbath  morning, 
she  would  busy  herself  with  household  cares, 
and,  by  long  practice,  was  able  to  time  his 
progress  so  accurately  as  to  arrive  simulta 
neously  with  the  elder  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
church  aisle. 

There  she  would  stand  in  an  agony  of  ner 
vous  apprehension  throughout  the  labored 
progress  toward  the  seat.  His  entrance  to 
the  pew  was  always  the  signal  for  painful 
suspense  pervading  the  whole  congregation, 
and  was  commonly  marked  by  the  dropping 
of  his  cane  with  loud  clatter,  and  other  con 
fusion.  The  moment  he  sank  into  his  seat 
his  sister,  with  an  audible  sigh  of  relief, 
would  scoot  one-sidedly  up  the  aisle,  and 
flop  into  her  place  beside  him. 

Elder  Bawker  had  taken  pride  in  main 
taining  the  old  New  England  custom  of  sit 
ting,  as  the  head  of  the  family,  by  the  door 
of  the  pew. 

This  is  a  well-known  survival  of  early 
conditions,  when  the  men  were  always  ready 


Bn  Interesting  Obstacle.  in 

to  rush  out  and  repulse  the  savage  assaults 
of  Indians. 

The  elder  had  never  had  occasion  to  sally 
forth  during  his  waking  moments,  but  once 
or  twice,  while  napping,  he  had  fallen  out 
of  the  pew  and  struck  aisle  under  such 
circumstances  as  to  cause  a  long  and  demor 
alizing  delay  in  the  devotional  exercises. 

It  was  finally  insisted  that  he  deposit  him 
self  at  the  further  end  of  the  pew  against 
the  wall,  where  he  could  be  effectually  shored 
up  with  umbrellas  and  canes. 

But  the  time  to  see  the  elder  at  his  best  was 
on  his  way  home  from  church.  Then  he 
was  wont  to  proceed  at  his  leisure.  As  long 
as  he  could  walk  arm  in  arm  with  the  fence, 
it  was  not  impossible  to  conjecture  from  his 
attitude  in  which  direction  he  was  going; 
but  when  he  was  obliged  to  cast  loose  and 
cross  the  street,  no  uninspired  person,  except 
possibly  his  sister  Hannah,  could  tell  whither 
he  was  drifting.  With  his  legs  planted  far 
apart,  and  leaning  forward  on  his  cane,  he  re 
sembled  that  emblem  of  stability,  a  pyramid. 

At  such  times  his  progress,  like  that  of  a 
glacier,  could  only  be  determined  by  driving 
a  stake  beside  him,  and  comparing  their  re 
lative  positions  at  remote  intervals.  It  was 


118  people  at  flMsgab. 

more  exciting,  however,  than  a  trial  of  speed 
with  a  glacier,  for  while  the  elder  would 
sometimes  forge  slightly  ahead,  there  were 
times  again  when  the  stake  seemed  to  gain 
upon  and  almost  overhaul  him. 

In  the  performance  of  social  obligations 
the  elder  was  equally  scrupulous,  and  even 
made  periodic  incursions  into  the  realm  of 
sentiment. 

At  stated  intervals  he  would  become  im 
pressed  with  the  advantages  of  matrimony, 
and,  with  a  view  to  making  proposals  of 
marriage,  entered  upon  a  systematic  canvass 
of  the  village. 

It  is  a  melancholy  commentary  upon  the 
perversity  of  womankind,  considered,  as  it 
were,  in  bulk,  that  Elder  Bawker  remained 
single.  This  result  may  doubtless  be  traced 
in  part  to  the  difficulty  he  experienced  in 
giving  articulate  utterance  to  the  burning 
emotions  of  his  heart. 

Of  all  the  ladies  in  his  matrimonial  cir 
cuit,  no  one  was  ever  able  to  distinguish  more 
than  three  intelligible  sentences.  When  the 
elder  had  effected  an  entrance  to  the  home 
of  the  favored  one  who  was  the  immediate 
target  of  his  attentions,  and  had  settled  into 
a  chair,  there  would,  after  a  time,  be  heard 


Tin  Interesting  Obstacle.  119 

gasping  and  gurgling  up  through  his  ob 
structed  and  semi-petrified  organs  of  speech 
these  words :  "  Pleasadt  evedidg  af  der  the 
shower."  When  it  happened  that  a  refresh 
ing  rainfall  was  of  recent  occurrence,  nothing 
could  seem  more  natural  than  this  remark ; 
and  even  in  seasons  of  protracted  drought 
it  was  not  without  significance;  but  when 
the  elder,  eluding  his  sister  Hannah,  had 
sallied  forth  in  the  midst  of  the  equinoctial 
or  other  pouring  and  persistent  flood,  the 
effect  of  the  observation  was  seriously  marred. 
But  to  those  accustomed  to  the  elder's  vis 
its  it  had  lost — like  the  indications  of 
the  Weather  Bureau — any  association  in 
thought  with  atmospheric  phenomena,  and 
was  accepted  simply  as  a  pleasant  formality, 
and  a  graceful  and  easy  prelude  to  the  con 
versation. 

After  a  brief  rest,  and  fixing  his  eyes  in  a 
coy  and  slanting  goggle,  the  elder  ventured 
upon  his  second  remark:  "  The  bood  is  dow 
rididg  high  id  the  he-hevings. "  It  mattered 
not  whether  the  orb  of  night  was  in  fact  near 
the  zenith  or  not.  As  likely  as  not,  the 
moon  might  be  riding  very  low  in  the 
heavens.  Except  to  the  eye  of  an  antipodal 
observer,  it  might  not  be  riding  at  all. 


120  people  at 


Like  the  elder's  previous  deliverance,  this 
was  not  intended  as  a  literal  and  prosaic 
statement  of  fact.  Doubtless  it  was  de 
signed  as  an  announcement  of  his  senti 
mental  mood  and  mission. 

The  actual  offer  of  his  heart  and  hand 
assumed  the  form  of  an  invitation  to  "  take 
up  your  abode  id  by  elb-eb-bowered  cottage." 
Persons  unfamiliar  with  the  elder's  phrase 
ology  were  misled  into  supposing  their  caller 
the  proprietor  of  a  summer  boarding-house. 
Of  this  idea  they  were  seldom  disabused,  for 
the  reason  that  Elder  Bawker,  after  working 
his  faculties  to  such  a  pitch  of  excitement, 
generally  sank  into  a  profound  slumber  the 
moment  the  exertion  was  over  and  the  reac 
tion  set  in. 

When  he  was  aroused  and  launched  upon 
his  homeward  progress,  the  tidies  and  other 
small  articles  which  had  been  lying  upon  his 
chair  were  plastered  to  his  person  by  the  long 
continued  and  tremendous  operation  of  the 
laws  of  gravity,  and,  when  not  observed  and 
peeled  off  by  his  hosts,  often  adhered  to  his 
garments  throughout  the  return  voyage. 

It  was  not,  in  any  sense,  a  light  matter 
for  the  elder  to  lose  his  balance. 

As  long  as  he   remained  upon  his  three 


Bn  f nterestfns  ©bstaclc.  121 

feet — his  cane  being  by  far  the  most  sup 
ple  and  serviceable  of  his  lower  extremities 
— he  enjoyed  the  power  of  voluntary  motion. 
But  when  he  had  once  fallen  down,  this  sub 
jective  element  was  wholly  eliminated.  He 
became  a  mere  object  for  the  exercise  of  ex 
ternal  force.  In  the  highest  degree  was  this 
true  when,  as  was  apt  to  be  the  case,  he  fell 
upon  his  back. 

Whenever  this  occurred  the  scene  resembled 
that  rural  event  called  a  "house-raising." 
The  ablebodied  citizens  of  the  town  assem 
bled,  and  all  available  appliances  were  called 
into  play  before  this  human  turtle  could  be 
again  set  in  motion. 

These  difficulties  were  strikingly  illustrated 
after  the  elder  had  been  making  one  of  his 
matrimonial  excursions.  On  his  homeward 
way  he  became  possessed  of  the  idea  that  he 
should  return  and  beg  that  the  lady  would 
take  no  offence  at  his  presumptuous  advances. 
He  turned  back,  determined  to  perform  this 
obvious  duty. 

The  house  was  not  far  away,  and  it  was 
little  past  midnight  when  he  reached  the 
door  for  the  second  time.  A  slight  rain  had 
fallen,  and  it  being  a  chilly  night  in  the 
early  spring-time  a  treacherous  coating  of 


122  people  at 


ice  had  formed  on  the  front  stoop.  In  the 
effort  at  pulling  the  bell  the  elder's  feet  sud 
denly  started  toward  divergent  points  of 
compass.  Gripping  the  bell-knob  for  sup 
port  he  dragged  it  after  him  in  his  ponder 
ous  and  reverberating  fall,  hauling  out  many 
yards  of  wire,  and  extracting  the  most  ag 
onizing  screeches  from  the  bell.  Elder 
Bawker  had  sought  to  bring  some  one  to 
the  door.  In  this  he  was  not  unsuccess 
ful.  The  family  did  not  at  first  attribute 
this  convulsion  to  anything  more  serious 
than  a  call  from  a  belated  avalanche  or 
slightly  demented  tornado.  When  the  truth 
was  revealed  they  knew  not  what  to  do. 

With  the  small  force  which  could  be  col 
lected  at  that  untimely  hour,  an  attempt  at 
raising  their  visitor  was  not  to  be  thought 
of.  By  the  skilful  application  of  crowbars 
he  was  pried  into  the  front  hall,  and  made 
as  comfortable  as  possible  until  the  morning. 

When  the  elder  lost  his  equilibrium  in  the 
course  of  a  marketing  trip,  the  results  were 
not  less  disastrous.  To  be  sure  he  had  been 
seen  to  fall  when  carrying  a  loaded  molasses 
jug  in  his  hand,  and  with  rare  presence  of 
mind  sustain  the  jug  high  in  air,  at  the  ex 
pense  of  his  own  person. 


Bn  Ifnterestinc}  Obstacle. 


Once,  when  coming  out  of  the  store  with 
a  large  basket  of  eggs  he  was  not  so  fortunate. 
On  the  very  last  step  his  foot  suddenly  shot 
from  under  him.  Instinctively  he  thrust 
under  him,  to  break  his  fall,  the  basket 
holding  the  eggs.  It  broke  his  fall  and,  it 
is  needless  to  add — the  eggs.  When  the 
elder  was  raised  to  a  vertical  position  and 
torn  asunder  from  the  basket,  the  expanse 
of  black  broadcloth  underlying  the  orna 
mental  buttons  on  the  small  of  his  back  pre 
sented  an  impressive  panorama.  Those  who 
have  had  the  privilege  of  studying  that  mas 
terpiece  of  art  so  much  admired  by  Mr. 
Ruskin — Turner's  "  Slave-ship" — can  best 
judge  of  its  coloring  and  artistic  effect.  It 
was  a  "  symphony  in  yellow." 

It  is  noteworthy  that  Elder  Bawker's  in 
ordinate  craving  for  locomotion  seemed  to 
grow  upon  him  in  the  inverse  ratio  of  his 
locomotive  capacity.  He  was  emphatically 
a  "leading  citizen."  Never  was  there  a 
show,  parade,  or  public  observance  of  any 
sort  which  was  not  graced  by  the  elder's 
presence.  Either  on  foot,  or  with  his  horse 
and  wagon,  which  shared  in  many  respects 
his  own  peculiarities,  he  was  sure  to  be  pres 
ent,  and  always  at  the  head  of  the  proces- 


124  {people  at 


sion.  "Was  it  a  parade  of  the  fire  company, 
he  managed  in  some  unaccountable  manner 
to  keep  alongside  the  engine.  At  every 
funeral  he  was  sure  to  be  seen  encroaching 
upon  the  prerogatives  of  the  mourners.  On 
July  4th,  during  the  march  of  an  organiza 
tion  of  alleged  veterans,  he  endeavored  to 
squeeze  in  between  the  drum  and  the  fife. 

But,  while  his  tastes  thus  led  him  to  pa 
rades,  processions,  and  other  movable  feasts, 
he  was  by  no  means  indifferent  to  stationary 
convocations. 

At  the  commencement  exercises  of  the 
High  School  the  elder  was  the  most  promi 
nent  figure  upon  the  platform.  Seldom  was 
he  known  to  miss  a  rehearsal  of  the  New 
Boston  Cornet  Band.  When  the  circus,  in 
its  annual  circuit,  arrived  at  Dothan  Mills, 
his  ancient  equipage  took  the  lead  of  the  long 
line  of  wagons  which  poured  in  from  the  sur 
rounding  country,  often  occasioning  such 
blockades  as  Dr.  Van  Nunythlee  had  ob 
served. 

The  elder's  carriage  was  constantly  break 
ing  down,  and  generally  at  the  narrowest 
points  in  the  road.  Sometimes  the  stop 
page  was  due  to  an  attack  of  "  blind  stag 
gers,"  or  other  annoying  eccentricity,  in 


Bn  1Tntere0tfng  Obstacle.  125 

the  horse.  In  the  present  instance  the  ob 
struction  proved  less  serious  than  had  been 
feared,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  high 
way  was  again  open. 


X. 

AN   AMATEUR   PERFORMANCE. 

EAR  the  end  of  the  long  cavalcade 
the  doctor  and  his  young  com 
panion   moved    slowly  down  the 
hill,  and  on  to  Dothan  Mills. 
On  reaching  the  circus  grounds  they  tied 
the  horse  to  a  fence,  and  hastened  to  the 
scene  of  action. 

The  way  was  lined  with  booths  where  pea 
nuts,  root-beer,  ginger  cakes,  and  other  deli 
cacies  were  clamorously  offered  for  sale. 

The  doctor's  anxious  and  inquiring  gaze 
soon  made  him  the  centre  of  loud  solicita 
tions.  The  man  in  charge  of  the  shooting 
gallery  made  a  special  effort  to  attract  his 
notice,  and  a  wild-eyed  person  presiding  over 
the  scales  offered  to  determine  the  portly 
clergyman's  entire  weight  without  extra 
charge. 

A  vender  of  cough  drops  followed  him  for 
a  long  distance,  depicting  the  insidious  ap- 
126 


Bn  Bmateur  performance,         127 

proach  of  pulmonary  diseases  and  the  mirac 
ulous  virtue  of  his  remedy. 

"  Better  buy  some  ter  take  home  ter  the 
little  ones,"  he  whispered  confidentially. 
"A  prize  in  every  package — don't  neglect 
this  opportunity,"  he  screamed,  as  the  doc 
tor  passed  out  of  reach.  "  It  may  save  yer 
life." 

The  day  was  the  hottest  of  the  summer. 
The  sun  poured  down  with  torrid  heat.  Fat 
and  perspiring  women  were  floundering 
aimlessly  about.  Thin  and  sallow  women 
elbowed  their  way  through  the  crowd,  drag 
ging  a  towage  of  children  smeared  with  gin 
ger-bread  or  sucking  sticks  of  gorgeously 
illumined  candy.  Men  with  long  dusters 
were  walking  hither  and  thither,  greeting 
their  friends  with  hearty  ejaculations  or 
crowding  into  the  main  entrance. 

There  were  many  young  couples  to  be  seen 
strolling  hand  in  hand,  gazing  at  the  sin 
gular  impossibilities  pictured  on  the  small 
tents,  or  consuming  "  corn  balls  "  arid  other 
portable  refreshments. 

All  such  the  doctor  scrutinized  with  great 
care,  and  after  a  fruitless  search  of  the 
grounds  decided  to  enter  the  main  tent. 

It  was  nearly  time  for  the  circus  to  open. 


128  people  at  pfsgab. 

The  struggling  jam  around  the  ticket  wagons 
had  diminished  so  that  he  secured  tickets 
without  much  trouble,  and  entered  the  tent. 
There  were  two  of  these  enormous  canvasses, 
the  first  containing  the  wagons  and  cages  of 
the  menagerie,  while  the  other,  beyond,  was 
devoted  to  the  glories  of  the  circus.  The 
two  were  connected  by  a  rather  long  and 
narrow  passage.  The  menagerie  was  still 
well  filled,  and  the  doctor  pushed  his  way 
around  the  circuit  of  attractions. 

Now  he  started  forward  in  pursuit  of  a  red 
feather  only  to  find  that  it  accompanied  a 
white  or  purple  gown.  Several  times  he  saw 
a  green  dress  with  a  yellow  sash.  Once  he 
came  upon  a  young  lady  wearing  a  green  gown 
with  a  red  feather  in  her  hat.  But  as  no  one 
toilet  could  be  seen  combining  these  three 
essential  elements,  he  pushed  on  through  the 
narrow  passage  into  the  circus. 

As  he  gazed  around  upon  the  circles  of 
crowded  seats  the  doctor  gave  way  to  utter 
despair.  But  as  he  ran  his  eye  over  the 
fanning,  wriggling  sea  of  people,  he  was  at 
tracted  by  a  red  feather  of  enormous  size. 

The  young  lady  who  sat  under  its  shadow 
was  near  enough  for  him  to  distinguish  a 
greenish  tint  upon  her  dress.  And  now,  as 


Sn  amateur  performance.          120 

,  ho  strained  his  eyes  to  assure  himself  upon 
this  point,  she  rose  and  leaned  forward,  as  if 
looking  for  some  friend  in  the  crowd  below; 
and — blessed  sight — there  appeared  a  wide 
yellow  sash  encircling  her  waist,  and  tied 
into  a  flattened  and  disordered  bow  behind. 

^P 

With  a  cry  of  joy  the  doctor  hastened  up 
the  nearest  passageway,  and  along  the  line 
of  seats,  treading  upon  many  toes,  and  ex 
citing  not  a  little  remark  of  a  personal  na 
ture. 

Of  course,  a  young  lady  thus  placed  in 
the  focus  of  a  thousand  eyes  by  the  sudden 
onslaught  of  an  excited  stranger,  who  de 
manded  an  ornament  which  she  was  proudly 
wearing  in  the  presence  of  her  "  steady  com 
pany,"  was  thrown  into  some  embarrassment; 
and  it  was  not  strange  that  her  chivalrous 
escort  shook  his  fist  in  the  doctor's  dripping 
countenance,  and  threatened  to  "swat"  him 
without  ceremony  or  delay. 

The  doctor  soon  recovered  his  breath  suf 
ficiently  to  make  an  intelligible  statement, 
and  upon  paying  over  a  dollar  to  console  the 
purchaser  of  the  pin,  the  precious  treasure 
was  secured. 

The  crowd  who  had  jumped  up  to  witness 
the  scene  of  excitement  resumed  their  seats, 


130  people  at  pfsgab. 

and  turned  toward  the  entrance  from  the 
menagerie  whence  the  triumphal  procession 
of  animals  and  living  curiosities  was  about 
to  emerge  and  open  the  performance  of  the 
day. 

At  the  outlet  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  found 
himself  compelled  to  wait  for  a  moment,  as 
the  passage  was  completely  filled  by  the  van 
guard  of  the  parade.  As  it  moved  forward, 
the  doctor,  not  knowing  which  direction  it 
would  take  in  passing  around  the  outer  track 
upon  which  he  stood,  stepped  back  and  took 
a  position  Avithin  the  barrier  surrounding  the 
inner  circus  ring. 

Such  trifling  annoyance  made  no  impres 
sion  now  that  his  greater  burden  was  lifted. 
His  face  glowed  with  devout  thanksgiving. 

His  first  thought  was  of  finding  Mrs.  Suy- 
dam,  to  make  his  excuses  and  attain  the  ob 
ject  nearest  his  heart. 

It  was  natural  that  the  crowd,  observing 
this  portly  and  important  personage  who  had 
appeared  at  the  entry  of  the  procession,  and 
who  seemed  to  be  reviewing  the  marching 
spectacle  with  a  smile  of  complacent  satis 
faction,  imagined  him  to  be  the  proprietor 
whose  name  had  blazed  for  weeks  from  every 
fence  and  shed  in  the  county.  The  more 


Sn  amateur  performance. 


knowing  nudged  their  companions  and 
pointed  out  the  distinguished  owner  of  the 
"  Stupendous  Aggregation." 

Meanwhile  the  doctor  was  so  preoccupied 
that  the  end  of  the  train  had  passed  for 
several  moments  before  he  observed  the  fact 
and  started  forward.  But  now  he  was  an 
noyed  to  notice  that  his  egress  was  still 
blockaded. 

The  white  elephant,  the  attraction  of  the 
show,  which  Avas  to  appear  impressively  at 
the  close  of  the  display,  was  still  standing 
at  the  further  end  of  the  passage.  It  was 
swaying  back  and  forth,  waving  its  trunk 
and  trumpeting  angrily;  and  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee  at  once  perceived  that  something 
was  wrong. 

Owing  to  accident  or  delay  in  the  diurnal 
task  of  renewing  its  peculiar  hue,  the  sacred 
pachyderm  had  been  missed  from  its  place 
of  honor  in  the  menagerie,  and  was  hardly 
made  presentable  in  time  to  connect  with 
this  opening  ceremony. 

It  was  some  moments  after  the  last  of  the 
parade  had  disappeared  within  the  second 
tent,  when  the  white  elephant  might  have 
been  seen  lumbering  at  forced  speed  across 
the  deserted  menagerie. 


132  f>eople  at  flM00ab. 

Elder  Bawker,  who  had  been  extricated 
from  the  hay  upon  the  Pisgah  turnpike,  and 
hoisted  into  the  wagon  of  a  sympathetic 
neighbor,  had  moved  on  after  the  other 
teams  to  Dothan.  He,  too,  had  been  push 
ing  across  the  first  tent,  and  just  at  this 
crisis  had  reached  the  connecting  passage 
leading  to  the  circus.  The  break  in  the 
continuity  of  the  procession  had  not  been 
long,  but  the  elder,  goaded  to  extraordinary 
activity,  had  managed  to  wedge  his  wabbling 
way  fairly  into  the  narrow  space  before  the 
enraged  elephant  came  up. 

Meantime,  the  head  of  the  procession  had 
reached  the  doctor  again,  and  a  second  cir 
cuit  of  the  dejected  animals  began.  Now 
that  the  crowd  had  seen  the  parade,  the  sup 
posed  proprietor  began  to  attract  more 
general  notice.  Suddenly  an  officious  in 
dividual  near  the  front  row  cried  out, 
"  Speech !  speech !"  and  the  crowd  about  him 
took  up  the  cry  with  much  stamping  of  feet, 
clapping  of  hands,  and  waving  of  handker 
chiefs. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had  teen  so  short  a 
time  in  this  neighborhood  and  had  kept  him 
self  so  secluded,  that  it  was  a  surprise  to  be 
thus  generally  recognized.  But  he  realized 


Sn  amateur  ipecformance.          133 

how  quickly  the  presence  of  a  distinguished 
visitor  became  known  in  a  rural  community, 
and  could  understand  that  these  good  people, 
gathered  upon  such  a  holiday,  might  appre 
ciate  the  privilege  of  listening, to  a  few  words 
from  a  great  metropolitan  clergyman,  whose 
name  was  doubtless  a  household  word  among 
them.  That  he  should  be  called  upon  for 
an  address  under  such  peculiar  circumstances, 
he  readily  excused  as  being  due  to  a  well- 
meant  impulse  of  a  simple  and  unconven 
tional  people. 

At  all'  events,  he  could  not,  without 
marked  discourtesy,  disregard  the  calls, 
which  were  becoming  more  clamorous,  and 
were  confused  with  shouts  of  inquiry  in  re 
gard  to  the  missing  white  elephant. 

"  My  good  friends,"  he  shouted,  extending 
his  hand  in  a  dignified  manner  to  invoke 
silence — "  My  good  friends,  it  gives  me  plea 
sure  to  see  so  many  of  you  here  to-day,  and  I 
regret  that  circumstances  do  not  admit  of 
my  performing  all  that  you  desire." 

This  short  speech  was  greeted  with  ap 
plause,  but  the  last  sentence  was  construed  to 
mean  that  no  white  elephant  would  appear, 
and  the  murmurs  of  disappointment  in 
creased.  Finally,  a  red-faced,  bullet-headed, 


134  people  at  pisgab. 

and  intoxicated  person,  who  had  been  discuss 
ing  the  apparent  outrage  with  those  about 
him,  jumped  up,  and  shaking  his  fist  at  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee,  screamed  out  in  accents  thick 
with  indignation  and  alcohol,  "Oh  yis!  It 
givesher  plezher  tor  see  so  many  on  us  here, 
an'  ter  skewp  in  our  munny,  but  it'd  give 
us  a  damsite  more  plezher  if  yew'd  fetch 
aout  whatyer  advertise." 

"  My  good  man,"  cried  the  doctor,  alarmed 
at  this  sudden  outburst,  "  I  have  advertised 
nothing.  You  are  laboring  under  a  mis " 

"  Did  yer  hear  that?  "  screeched  the  bullet- 
headed,  intoxicated  person,  turning  around 
and  appealing  wildly  to  the  audience.  "  Did 
yer  hear  that?  Actshally  says  he  hain't  ad 
vertised  northing.  It's  a  swindle!  I  tell  yer 
it's  a  swindle!!  " 

At  this  moment,  most  fortunately,  the 
sacred  elephant  appeared,  some  time  after  the 
parade  had  passed  the  entrance  for  the  second 
time,  Elder  Bawker  having  been  dislodged 
by  a  triumph  of  mechanical  genius. 

Of  course  the  intoxicated  person  subsided, 
and  the  grumblings  changed  to  murmurs  of 
admiration.  The  procession,  which  had  been 
waiting  for  the  outlet  to  clear,  now  quickly 
returned  to  the  menagerie  tent ;  and  except 


2ln  Bmateur  performance.          135 

for  the  solitary  march  of  the  white  elephant, 
all  was  ready  for  the  regular  performance. 
Just  as  the  doctor  started  toward  the 
exit  a  mischievous  boy  in  the  audience 
in  front  shied  a  round,  fiat  ginger-cake, 
which,  scaling  through  the  air  with  fatal 
precision,  knocked  off  the  doctor's  high  silk 
hat,  and  rolled  it  well  toward  the  other  side 
of  the  ring. 

From  that  side,  the  whole  array  of  eques 
trian  talent  was  entering  the  arena  for  its 
grand  preliminary  manoeuvres. 

The  sight  of  so  many  trampling  steeds 
charging  upon  his  hat  spurred  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee  to  the  utmost  speed  consistent 
with  personal  dignity  and  with  the  con 
spicuous  nature  of  his  situation.  In  exhort 
ing  the  equestrian  artists  to  avoid  his  hat, 
and  in  his  own  efforts  to  avoid  the  rearing 
and  plunging  horses,  he  of  course  created 
much  confusion.  This  was  increased  by  a 
trick  donkey,  which,  with  a  clown  personat 
ing  a  large  and  corpulent  policeman,  supplied 
the  element  of  comedy  in  this  part  of  the 
performance. 

Seeing  a  person  of  similar  figure  to  its 
ordinary  colleague  engaged  in  the  usual  re 
criminations  with  the  performers,  it  galloped 


136  people  at  flMsgab. 

prematurely  into  the  ring,  and  embarrassed 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  by  getting  in  his  way, 
kicking  up  its  heels,  and  generally  urging  at 
tention  to  the  customary  programme. 

The  crowd  had  now  jumped  to  the  con 
clusion  that  this  victim  of  circumstances  was 
a  clown  made  up  as  a  person  of  great  im 
portance,  and  that  it  was  all  a  regular  feature 
of  the  show. 

In  view  of  their  mistake  in  supposing  him 
to  be  the  proprietor,  the  antics  in  which  he 
was  now  indulging  evoked  the  more  uproari 
ous  mirth. 

When  the  doctor  had  at  last  recovered  his 
hat  and  was  passing  out  at  the  further  side 
of  the  ring,  the  ring-master,  either  provoked 
by  the  intrusion  on  his  domain  or  for  the 
further  delectation  of  the  multitude,  gave 
two  or  three  loud  and  alarming  snaps  with 
his  whip-lash  close  to  the  heels  of  the  de 
parting  intruder.  The  doctor,  after  several 
jumps  which  did  great  credit  to  his  agility, 
turned  around  to  rebuke  with  vigor  the  au 
thor  of  this  indignity.  The  realistic  by-play 
convulsed  the  audience  with  delight,  and  he 
retired  amid  tumultuous  applause. 

In  passing  out  he  noticed  a  commotion  in 
the  reserved  seats  above,  and,  looking  up,  be- 


Bn  Bmateur  iperformance.          137 

held — Mrs.  Suydam.  She  stood  with  her 
stony  gaze  fixed  upon  him,  while  Miss  Petti- 
grew  was  entreating  her  to  resume  her  seat. 

The  ladies  happening  to  drive  toward  Do- 
than  Mills  had  noticed  the  crowds  wending 
their  way  thither,  and  to  break  the  monotony 
of  rural  life  had  followed  an  erratic  impulse 
to  attend  the  circus. 

As  he  disappeared  from  view  the  doctor 
managed  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  Mrs.  Suydam 
sinking  into  the  arms  of  her  companion. 

The  genuine  clown  came  to  the  assistance  of 
his  under-study  without  the  least  professional 
jealousy,  and  congratulated  Dr.  Van  Nuyn- 
thlee  warmly  upon  his  artistic  triumph. 
With  the  aid  of  other  employees  his  hat  was 
restored,  and  he  was  assisted  to  the  open  air. 
In  a  half-dazed  condition  he  wandered  about 
the  grounds  until  discovered  by  Deacon 
Meiggs's  boy,  who  had  been  loath  to  leave  the 
circus,  and  under  his  guidance  the  horse  and 
buggy  were  found,  and  they  set  out  for  North 
Pisgah. 

By  a  powerful  effort  the  doctor  gradually 
roused  himself  to  meet  the  problems  demand 
ing  immediate  attention.  As  they  neared 
the  house  of  Mr.  Slack,  who  had  promised 
to  dispose  of  the  slaughtered  cow  for  the 


138  people  at  pfsgab. 

doctor's  benefit,  he  was  filled  with  mingled 
hope  and  anxiety  at  seeing  that  worthy  gen 
tleman  in  front  of  his  barn  just  hitching  his 
horse  into  his  lumbering  wagon.  Mr.  Slack 
had  seated  himself,  and  was  taking  up  the 
reins  as  they  drove  up. 

"  Why,  haow  be  ye?"  he  inquired  as  he  rec- 
cognized  the  doctor.  "  Well  suited  to  see 
ye.  Hed  fust-rate  luck,"  he  continued  with 
a  grin  of  satisfaction.  "  Worked  off  a  hull 
side  o'  the  critter." 

"What  did  you  get  for  it?"  asked  the 
doctor  eagerly." 

"Hey?" 

"  What  did  you  get  for  it?"  shouted  the 
doctor,  still  louder. 

"  Waall,"  he  answered,  probably  surmising 
the  drift  of  the  question,  "I  traded  with 
Hank  Eunnels,  that  drives  meat  cart  over  to 
Thermopperly  Meetin'  Haouse,  an'  I  guess  I 
made  a  pooty  slick  trade,  if  I  dew  say  it. 
Got  some  sparrer  grass,"  he  continued,  as 
he  drew  a  blanket  off  a  heap  of  meat  and 
vegetables  in  the  back  part  of  his  wagon, 
"an'  a  hind  quarter  o'  lamb,  some  of  the  best 
you  ever  see,  and  a  nice  mess  o'  garden  sass, 
an' " 

"But  didn't  you  get  any  money?"   yelled 


an  amateur  performance.          139 

the  doctor  despairingly.  Mr.  Slack  did  not 
hear,  but  it  was  too  evident  that  he  had  not 
done  so.  Leaving  the  surprised  Mr.  Slack 
without  further  ceremony,  they  drove  home 
ward. 

It  was  just  as  they  were  turning  into  the 
yard  that  he  noticed  a  group  of  four  or  five 
persons  in  a  grove  behind  the  orchard.  The 
unfortunate  experience  with  Adolphus  had 
passed  from  his  mind  until  this  moment. 
Now  it  flashed  upon  him  that  the  "  obsick- 
wys"  were  in  progress.  Major  and  Mrs.  Peavy 
were  of  course  there  as  chief  mourners.  He 
thought  he  could  distinguish  Aunt  Olimpy. 
The  far-reaching  tones  of  Gappy  were  plainly 
audible,  gabbing  forth  advice  and  condolence. 

Having  no  heart  for  an  interview  with  the 
choleric  major  he  hurried  into  the  house. 
It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  almost 
time  to  set  out  for  the  night  train.  Since 
breakfast  he  had  eaten  nothing  but  a  few 
ginger-cakes,  and  was  just  beginning  to  de 
vour  some  bread  and  butter  when  his  young 
friend  rushed  in  to  announce  that  they  "was 
all  comin'  "  back  to  the  house.  The  doctor 
dropped  his  luncheon,  hurried  after  his 
travelling  bags,  and  tiptoed  out  into  the 
wood-shed. 


140  {people  at  ptsgab. 

Then  he  took  refuge  in  the  barn,  where 
Deacon  Meiggs  was  intercepted  as  he  rode  in 
on  a  load  of  hay. 

Before  setting  out  in  the  morning  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  had  dispatched  a  message  to 
Mr.  William  Blood,  in  the  hope  of  finding 
that  gentleman  in  a  mood  to  reconsider  the 
sale  of  the  cow. 

He  was  gratified  to  learn  from  Deacon 
Meiggs  that,  after  great  delay,  a  reply  to  this 
appeal  had  been  received.  The  deacon  went 
to  his  coat  which  hung  upon  a  peg  in  the 
barn,  and  took  from  an  inner  pocket  a  large 
wallet,  wherein  he  was  wont  to  preserve  im 
portant  documents. 

Unwinding  the  convolutions  of  the  leather 
strap,  he  brought  from  an  interior  compart 
ment  a  soiled  and  crumpled  paper,  closely 
folded. 

The  messenger  reported  that  upon  perusal 
of  the  doctor's  letter,  William  Blood  had 
called  in  his  chore  boy  to  transcribe  an  ap 
propriate  response. 

It  was  habitual  with  Mr.  Blood  to  delegate 
to  his  youthful  assistant  any  task  resembling 
active  physical  effort.  This  rule  was  ne 
cessitated  by  an  unfortunate  incident  in  his 
early  maritime  experience. 


Bu  amateur  iperformance.          141 

Having  been  sent  aloft,  during  his  career 
as  able  seaman,  in  a  state  of  more  than  nor 
mal  intoxication,  he  had  fallen  from  the 
principal  steeple  of  the  edifice.  It  was  the 
common  report  that,  by  some  inscrutable 
dispensation,  he  had  escaped  any  serious 
damage ;  but  the  accident  was  always  referred 
to  with  melancholy  resignation  by  Mr.  Blood, 
as  having  caused  certain  mysterious  internal 
injuries,  and  permanent  organic  displace 
ments  which  rendered  the  excitement  of 
bodily  labor  hazardous  in  the  extreme. 

Mr.  Blood  was  never  more  eloquent  than 
when  discussing  the  obscure  physiological 
problems  connected  with  this  infirmity. 
The  habit  which  it  superinduced  had  be 
come  so  fixed  that  duties  involving  the 
least  exertion  were  always  performed  vicari 
ously. 

Accordingly  his  assistant  was,  of  course, 
summoned  to  act  as  amanuensis — or  more 
precisely  speaking,  as  aboyuensts. 

In  the  absence  of  stationery  a  fly  leaf  was 
detached  from  the  family  copy  of  Fox's  Book 
of  Martyrs.  A  little  dried  ink  being  dis 
covered  at  the  bottom  of  the  ink-bottle, 
sufficient  water  was  added  to  produce  a 
writing  fluid.  A  cup  of  sand  for  blotting 
10 


142  people  at  plsgab. 

purposes  was  readily  obtained  from  the  hen 
yard. 

After  the  youth  had  twisted  his  lower 
limbs  around  the  chair,  and  had  distorted 
his  upper  person  into  the  proper  attitude  for 
penmanship,  and  had  distributed  a  suitable 
quantity  of  ink  upon  his  face  and  hands,  he 
stuck  his  tongue  into  his  left  cheek  and  was 
ready  for  literary  labor. 

William  Blood  stood  over  him  and  dictated 
with  blear-eyed  solemnity ;  but  owing  to  the 
slow  and  painful  progress  of  the  scribe,  the 
effect  of  his  fluent  and  exuberant  diction 
was  wholly  lost.  There  was  little  in  the 
letter  to  suggest  its  authorship  except  a  slight 
flavor  of  the  sermons  of  the  Rev.  Habakkuk 
Harrower,  which  by  reason  of  frequent  pe 
rusal  had  exerted  an  influence  upon  Mr. 
Blood's  literary  style. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  letter  had  referred 
in  guarded  language  to  the  inequitable  con 
ditions  of  the  sale,  and  proposed  that  the 
cow  be  returned  and  the  money  restored  upon 
deducting  a  sufficient  sum  to  compensate  the 
owner  for  his  trouble.  This  amount  the 
doctor  was  willing  to  have  determined  by  a 
neighboring  Justice  of  the  Peace,  or  by  any 
disinterested  citizen. 


Sn  Smatcur  performance.  143 

The  reply  read  as  follows : 

esteamed  frend  i  Soled  you  the  Cow  and  i 
do  not  want  to  Back  owt  i  am  Ammaized  if 
there  is  eny  dout  abowt  being  a  fare  Trade  i 
do  not  dissire  to  leave  it  to  a  justis  of  the  piece 
i  am  wiling  to  leve  it  to  that  Grate  and  Impotent 
judge  before  whom  nuthing  shal  be  conceeled 
if  she  gets  off  her  fead  let  her  hav  a  little  soft 
foder  i  am  not  bring  meny  cowes  now  but  if  i 
disside  to  by  eny  catel  i  wil  examin  your  stok 
befour  perchessing  Elsware  mi  Agid  nmther  has 
ben  feling  verry  Slim  sense  i  soled  you  the  cow 
i  rimmark  in  the  thurd  place  that  sense  i  Soled 
you  the  cow  i  hav  bin  Seezed  with  a  Sevear 
heddake  and  i  am  in  no  Condishun  to  do  bisnis 
but  i  hoap  to  be  restoard  to  ushal  helth 

hoapeing  thes  fu  lines  will  find  you  injoying 
the  Same  blesing  i  sine  miself 
Your  tru  frend 

WILUAM  BLOOD 

It  was  evident  that  no  pecuniary  relief 
would  be  obtained  from  "William  Blood. 

The  doctor  was  obliged  to  throw  himself 
upon  the  mercy  of  Deacon  Meiggs,  who  was 
induced  to  await  his  "  boarder's  "  return  to 
New  York  before  receiving  the  balance  of 
his  account,  as  well  as  compensation  for 
damage  to  property. 

The  doctor's  remaining  funds  were  suffi 
cient  to  met  his  expenses  in  the  mean  time, 


144  people  at  pfsgab. 

but  his  other  anxieties  made  him  uneasy  un 
til  another  horse  was  put  into  the  buggy, 
and  he  set  out  again  for  Dothan  Mills  to 
take  the  evening  train. 

As  they  drove  out  of  the  yard  Major 
Peavy  caught  sight  of  the  departing  guest, 
whom  he  deemed  no  better  than  a  midnight 
assassin,  and  hobbled  downstairs  as  fast  as 
the  rheumatic  gout  would  permit.  By  the 
time  he  arrived  at  the  front  gate  they  were 
safely  out  of  reach,  but  the  major's  loud 
denunciations  pursued  them  for  a  long  dis 
tance. 


XI. 

INEXHAUSTIBLE    MINE. 

HEN"  the  station  had  heen  reached 
and  the  train  was  fairly  under 
way,  the  doctor  breathed  more 
freely;  and  his  relief  at  escaping 
from  a  region  so  fertile  in  mishaps  enabled 
him  to  look  forward  to  a  night  of  railway 
discomfort  with  some  serenity. 

He  carefully  avoided  all  passengers  of 
bucolic  aspect,  and  selected  a  seat  by  a  gen 
tleman  whose  appearance  and  apparel  were 
distinctly  urban. 

He  impressed  the  doctor  at  a  casual  glance 
as  one  who  sustained  the  burden  of  great 
public  or  business  cares. 

The  air  of  absorption  in  important  affairs 
was  deepened  by  a  certain  carelessness  in 
dress.  Upon  the  frock  coat,  which  enhanced 
the  dignity  of  his  portly  person,  several 
buttons  were  frayed  about  the  periphery  or 
hung  by  loose  and  uncertain  tenure. 
14f> 


146  people  at  ptsgab. 

On  the  back  and  elbows  was  something  of 
the  superficial  lustre  developed  by  long  at 
trition.  The  shoulders  required  the  minis 
trations  of  a  whisk  broom,  while  the  expanse 
in  front  was  decorated  with  souvenirs  of  the 
wearer's  gastronomic  achievements. 

But  the  man  was  one  in  whose  presence 
such  petty  details  were  scarcely  noticed. 
His  luxuriant  growth  of  hair  and  military 
bearing  gave  him  an  unmistakable  air  of 
distinction.  He  wore  a  silk  hat  with  "  bell" 
crown,  and  unusually  wide  brim.  The  effec 
tively  trimmed  whiskers  upon  the  side  face 
were  trained  away  from  the  mouth.  About 
that  clear-cut  feature  the  face  was  shaven. 
The  effect  in  some  way  suggested  the  idea  of 
decks  cleared  for  action. 

He  quietly  observed  his  new  neighbor. 
Owing  to  a  cold  contracted  at  North  Pisgah, 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  wore  a  light  overcoat 
tightly  buttoned  up  to  the  chin.  There  was 
thus  nothing  in  his  dress  to  announce  the 
clergyman.  His  sunburnt  face  and  substan 
tial  figure  were  suggestive  rather  of  the 
prosperous  man  of  business. 

"A  picturesque  region,  sir,"  the  gentle 
man  remarked  in  rich  tones  and  with  dis 
tinct  enunciation. 


Bn  flnejbaustiblc  flMne.  147 

The  doctor  could  not  do  otherwise  than 
assent. 

"  A  beautiful  country,  sir.  The  garden 
spot  of  America.  Yet  how  few  of  these  per 
sons  about  us  realize  that  we  are  at  this 
moment  passing  over  a  mine,  sir ;  a  mine  of 
inexhaustible  and  illimitable  wealth,  sir." 

The  doctor  replied  briefly  that  he  had 
formed  no  such  conception  of  the  mineral  re 
sources  of  Vermont. 

"  You  may  have  done  me  the  honor  to  ob 
serve  that  I  employed  the  phrase  '  inexhausti 
ble  wealth',  sir — the  phrase  was  not  used,  if 
I  may  venture  the  assurance,  unadvisedly, 
not  unadvisedly,  sir. 

"  Your  permanent  residence,  if  you  will 
pardon  the  digression,  is  not  of  course — 
er — r?"  resumed  the  gentleman  inquiringly. 

"My  home  is  in  the  city  of  New  York," 
responded  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee,  somewhat 
curtly. 

"  I  was  confident  of  it,  sir.  I  hope,  how 
ever,  you  are  more  fortunate  than  myself  in 
the  matter  of  summer  leisure.  I  trust  your 
sojourn  has  been  purely  one  of  pleasure." 

"No,  sir,"  said  the  doctor  with  some  em 
phasis,  "it  has  not." 

"  Ah !    pray  pardon  me,   sir.      I  perceive 


148  people  at 


that  your  interests  here  are  partially,  at  least, 
of  a  practical  nature.  Are  you  an  owner, 
may  I  ask,  of  dairy  cattle?" 

"  Er  —  well,  not  to  a  very  considerable  ex 
tent,"  replied  the  doctor. 

"  Quite  possibly  you  have  made  some  pur 
chases  upon  the  present  trip,  sir?" 

The  doctor,  recalling  his  transactions  with 
Messrs.  Slack  and  Blood,  felt  constrained  to 
nod  his  assent,  though  in  a  deprecating 
manner. 

"  You  speak  modestly,  sir,  but  with  credit 
to  your  business  sagacity.  Our  men  of 
wealth,  very  generally,  are  discovering  the 
advantages  of  dairy  culture  upon  an  exten 
sive  scale,  sir;  it  happens  that  I  am  indi 
rectly  interested  in  the  subject  myself. 
Permit  me  to  hand  you  a  card.  Let  me  in 
troduce  myself,  sir:  General  Pealer  E. 
Smoot  —  General  Smoot,  sir,  a  name  which 
has  not  been  unfamiliar  at  Washington, 
Albany  and  other  capitals,  though  of  late  my 
business  interests  have  centred  at  your  own 
city,  sir.  I  may  say  that  I  have  necessarily 
gravitated  to  the  city  of  New  York,  sir,  as 
the  financial  metropolis  of  the  Western 
World." 

"  You  consider  New  York  your  permanent 


Bn  Unesbaustible  flMne.  149 

home,  I  presume,"  interpolated  the  doctor, 
with  a  view  to  turning  the  conversation  from 
his  own  investments. 

"As  permanent,  sir,  as  the  cosmopolitan 
character  of  my  pursuits  will  permit;  New 
York,  I  may  say,  and  London,  sir,  New 
York  and  London." 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  remarked  that  he  had 
observed  with  interest  the  capitalizing  of 
many  of  our  industries  upon  the  basis  of 
British  investment. 

"  It  could  not  have  escaped  your  notice, 
sir,  though  you  may  not  realize  the  difficulties 
which  have  been  surmounted  in  the  field  of 
practical  financeering.  "  The  combinations 
and  consolidations  in  modern  industry  are 
problems  which  have  claimed  the  attention 
of  our  greatest  minds  in  finance.  The  power 
of  planning  vast  undertakings,  of  negotiating 
gigantic  operations,  is  a  gift,  sir — a  natural 
gift.  Notwithstanding  the  crushing  weight 
of  responsibility,  there  is  an  indefinable  plea 
sure  in  handling  wealth  in  stupendous  masses, 
sir.  It  has  been,  sir,  I  may  say  my  pastime! 
as  well  as  my  vocation,  to  promote  such  en 
terprises;  to  guide  the  industries  of  our 
country  into  productive  channels ;  to  develop 
our  latent  resources  and  to  direct  the  atten- 


150  people  at  ptegab. 

tion  of  moneyed  men  to  profitable  invest 
ments.  My  best  energies  have  been  imper 
atively  called  to  this  work,  and  they  have 
been  given  cheerfully,  sir,  I  may  say  cheer 
fully,  sir." 

"  Your  visit  to  the  mountains,  I  trust, 
has  proved  restful,"  said  the  doctor,  im 
pressed  by  the  magnitude  of  General  Smoot's 
operations. 

"  Incidentally,  sir,  incidentally  so.  I  have 
been  in  consultation  with  a  gentleman  of 
wealth,  sir,  a  close  personal  friend:  one  of  a 
syndicate,  sir — a  rather  influential  syndicate. 
These  gentlemen  are  interested  in  the  re 
organization  of  certain  manufacturing  in 
dustries  upon  a  corporate  basis,  sir ;  a  project 
of  colossal  aggrandizement,  sir.  I  have  con 
sented  to  associate  myself  with  the  enterprise. 
A  Herculean  labor.  But  I  shall  swing  it,  sir, 
I  shall  swing  it." 

"  Our  men  of  business,  I  fear,  hardly  do 
themselves  justice  in  the  matter  of  recrea 
tion." 

"  We  must  content  ourselves,  sir,  with 
such  recreation  as  may  be  incidental  to  busi 
ness;  and  this,  sir,  brings  me  again  to  the 
subject  with  which  I  was  preoccupied  when 
our  acquaintance  began. 


Uneibaustible  flMne. 


"  I  happen  to  be  engaged  at  this  time  upon 
such  a  diversion.  The  friend  of  whom  I 
spoke,  by  his  physician's  advice,  passes  his 
summers  in  Vermont.  His  tastes  led  him, 
like  yourself,  to  accumulate  a  herd  of  im 
ported  cattle.  "With  a  view  to  disposing  of 
the  dairy  produce,  he  took  a  controlling  in 
terest  in  a  creamery  at  Meacham,  a  spot 
which  we  are  approaching,  sir;  the  centre  of 
a  rich  dairy  district,  sir.  The  condition  of 
his  health  and  the  exigences  of  business, 
have  caused  him  to  tire  of  this  additional 
care.  He  is  a  man  to  whom  profits  upon  a 
minor  investment  offer  no  attraction.  In 
short,  sir,  he  has  determined  to  sacrifice  this 
valuable  property. 

"  He  begged  me  to  advise  him  as  to  its  dis 
position,  and  from  personal  considerations 
I  could  not  refuse.  I  consented  to  run  over 
to  Meacham  and  examine  the  plant.  This 
is  my  mission,  sir.  Though  a  trivial  mat 
ter,  it  has  led  me  to  grasp  the  subject  in  its 
larger  scope.  With  my  practised  eye,  I  see 
here  a  future  of  vast  remuneration,  sir." 

"I  have  not  observed,"  said  Doctor  Van 
Nunythlee  sceptically,  "  that  the  sale  of 
dairy  products  has  enriched  the  native  popu 
lation." 


152  people  at 


"  True,  sir  ;  true.  The  fault  has  been  one 
of  method.  The  business  has  been  done  with 
some  profit  by  individuals,  but  what  is 
wanted,  sir,  is  some  master  hand  to  take 
these  hostile  and  scattered  interests,  using 
wasteful  and  primitive  methods,  and  weld 
them  into  one  harmonious  system.  If  I  had 
the  time,  I  would  consolidate  the  entire  dairy 
interests  of  New  England.  I  would  do  it,  sir. 
I  would  revolutionize  this  great  but  dormant 
industry  ;  or  rather,  sir,  I  would  prepare  it 
for  the  revolution  which  is  close  at  hand. 

"  My  dear  sir,  has  your  attention  been 
called  to  the  revelations  of  the  census?  Are 
you  aware  that  the  pasturage  of  this  country 
is  now  fully  utilized?  That  the  number  of 
cattle  has  reached  its  maximum,  sir  —  its  ex 
treme  limit,  sir? 

"  Now,  sir,  have  you  studied  the  reports  of 
the  world's  grain  supply?  Do  you  realize 
that,  from  this  time,  every  available  foot  of 
pasturage  must  be  absorbed  by  an  extending 
acreage  of  wheat  and  other  grains? 

"  Let  me  ask  you  further,  sir,  do  you  ap 
preciate  the  enormous  increase  of  foreign  and 
domestic  demand  for  beef  —  for  beef,  sir? 

"  Have  you  thought,  that  of  our  decreasing 
pasturage  a  greater  portion  will  be  constantly 


2ln  flncrbaustible  /IIMne.  153 

taken  for  the  raising  of  beef  cattle?  that 
dairy  farming  will  be  confined  to  a  few  locali 
ties?  Now,  sir,  do  you  know  how  often  the 
population  of  this  country  doubles  itself? 
Do  you  realize  that  our  children  will  see  here 
two  hundred  millions  of  human  beings  de 
manding  a  supply  of  milk,  butter,  and  cheese? 
When  they  talk  of  golden  butter,  it  will 
mean  something,  sir;  it  will  mean  some 
thing.  And  where  will  this  industry  con 
centrate?  Here,  sir.  Eight  here,  sir.  The 
future  of  the  West  and  South  lies  in  the 
raising  of  staple  crops  and  beef  cattle.  In 
this  favored  region,  a  market  for  dairy  pro 
ducts  comes  to  the  door  of  the  producer. 
Every  summer  an  increasing  tide  pours  in 
from  the  cities,  exchanging  its  wealth  for  the 
luxuries  of  the  country.  These  mighty 
causes  are  already  at  work,  sir.  The  laws  of 
economics  are  inexorable,  sir.  Supply  and 
demand  will  regulate  values  as  sure  as  fate, 
sir,  as  sure  as  fate. 

"  And  now,  sir,  at  the  very  focus  of  these 
converging  Titanic  forces  lies  a  quiet  hamlet 
called  Meacham,  the  very  heart  of  the  opu 
lent  dairy  region  of  the  future.  I  hold  the 
key  to  the  situation,  sir.  The  establishment 
of  creameries  at  central  points  was  the  first 


154  ffieoplc  at  pfsgab. 

strategic  move.  The  next  step  must  be  to 
bring  such  establishments  under  the  control 
of  men  of  large  ideas.  As  I  said  before,  here 
is  a  mine,  sir,  a  mine  of  inexhaustible  wealth. 
Have  you  not  in  your  own  experience  looked 
upon  the  cow  as  a  veritable  treasure-house, 
sir." 

"  Why — er — I  can  hardly  say,  at  least  in 
the  sense  you " 

"  My  dear  sir,  I  wish  that  I  were  in  your 
position,  that  I  might  devote  my  energies 
and  my  private  fortune  to  this  pursuit.  I 
wish  that  I  were  free  to  devote  myself  in  this 
land  of  summer  charm  to  the  mere  accumu 
lation  of  riches.  But  I  must  leave  that  to 
others.  Your  own  interests,  I  understand, 
centre  near  this  point.  Are  your  herds  ex 
clusively  of  the  Jersey  stock,  sir?" 

"No  sir,  I  fear  I——" 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  I  am  one  of  those  who 
believe  that  other  strains — let  us  say  the 
Guernsey,  or  perhaps  the  Holstein — but  our 
time  is  short,  sir.  I  am  confident  that 
it  would  interest  you  to  examine  this  estab 
lishment.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  some 
deal " 

But  at  this  juncture  the  doctor  saw  the 
necessity  of  explaining  unmistakably  that 


Bit  1fner.bau0tible  flMne.  155 

lie  was  only  in  the  market  as  a  seller,  not  as 
a  purchaser. 

General  Smoot  relinquished  the  immediate 
hope  of  a  commission  upon  sale  of  the 
creamery,  and  left  the  subject. 

He  dropped  into  an  easy,  conversational 
style,  though  retaining  something  of  the 
courtly  manner  of  the  old  school.  His  con 
versation  teemed  with  entertaining  reminis 
cences  of  public  men,  and  of  episodes  in  the 
world  of  finance. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  was  really  charmed. 
It  was  a  return  to  a  refreshing  and  delightful 
atmosphere. 

"  AVe  shall  be  due  at  Meacham  in  less  than 
ten  minutes,"  remarked  the  general,  con 
sulting  his  watch. 

The  doctor  heard  him  with  genuine  re 
gret. 

"By  the  way,"  said  the  general  with  a 
hearty  laugh,  "  I  met  to-day  with  a  singular 
mishap.  I  was  riding  with  a  party  of  friends 
when  the  discussion  of  the  creamery  arose. 
On  my  return  I  found  that  the  time  for 
catching  the  train  for  Meacham  was  ex 
tremely  short.  I  made  a  hasty  change  of 
attire,  and  drove  rapidly  to  the  station. 
You  can  imagine  my  annoyance  at  finding 


156  people  at 


that  my  roll  of  bills  was  left  behind  in  my 
riding  suit.  Ha!  ha!  really  it  was  a  most 
ludicrous  dilemma  —  I  am  not  the  man  to 
turn  back,  sir.  I  found  that  I  had  sufficient 
change  in  my  pocket  to  buy  a  ticket,  and 
here  I  am,  sir,  here  I  am. 

"  Our  brief  acquaintance  has  been,  to  me, 
so  exceptionally  pleasant,  that  I  almost  feel 
emboldened  to  ask  a  nominal  accommoda 
tion,  sir;  my  position  is  extremely  awkward 
sir.  If  a  trifle  of  —  say  twenty-five  dollars 
—  I  shall  have  access  to  my  check-books 
to-morrow.  Pray  let  me  take  your  next 
address  --  " 

"  Why,  sir,  by  a  curious  mischance  I  re 
gret  to  --  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  I  could  not  for  an  instant 
think  of  causing  you  any  substantial  incon 
venience;  why,  possibly  an  insignificant  sum 
like  ten  dollars,  or  even  the  absurd  --  " 

Just  at  this  crisis  a  fortuitous  occurrence 
came  to  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  relief. 

An  elderly  gentleman  in  the  seat  immedi 
ately  in  front  had  seemed  to  be  interested  in 
the  topic  of  General  Smoot's  earlier  conver 
sation.  His  gold-bowed  spectacles  gave  him 
a  scholarly  appearance.  As  the  chill  of  the 
summer  evening  made  itself  felt,  he  had 


Bn  ITnejbaustible  flhine.  157 

thrown  a  gray  shawl  about  his  stooping 
shoulders. 

He  was  a  Bostonian  of  culture  and  of  in 
dependent  income,  who,  as  it  happened,  had 
recently  become  an  enthusiastic  adherent  of 
cremation,  and  was  occupied  with  the  in 
vestigation  of  that  subject. 

After  a  week  in  the  White  Mountains,  he 
was  on  his  way  to  examine  a  large  and  per 
fect  crematory  near  Albany. 

He  had  the  misfortune  to  be  very  deaf. 
In  General  Smoot's  enthusiastic  discourse, 
he  had  mistaken  the  oft-repeated  word 
"  creamery"  for  .the  similar  term  which  ab 
sorbed  his  own  attention. 

As  the  general  spoke  of  leaving  the  train 
to  inspect  an  important  creamery,  his  in 
tense  interest  led  him  to  join  in  the  conver 
sation. 

"  I  trust,  gentlemen,  that  my  intrusion 
will  not  appear  inexcusable;  but  my  pro 
found  personal  interest  in  the  subject  which 
I  could  not  but  hear  you  discussing  has 
prompted  me  to  make  a  few  inquiries." 

"Have  no  hesitation,  sir,"  said  the 
general  heartily.  "  It  is  gratifying  to  know 
of  your  interest  in  this  important  subject." 

"  I  must  trouble  you  to  raise  your  voice 
11 


158  people  at 


a  trifle,"  said  the  cremationist,  "  as  my  hear 
ing  is  slightly  impaired." 

The  general  repeated  the  assurance  in  a 
loud  tone. 

"  Was  I  correct,  sir,  in  understanding  that 
you  are  about  to  visit  one  of  these  establish 
ments?" 

The  general  succeeded  in  convincing  his 
new  friend  that  he  had  been  under  no  mis 
apprehension  ;  that  the  structure  in  question, 
with  all  its  appointments,  was  as  completely 
equipped  as  any  in  the  country. 

"Indeed!  indeed!"  exclaimed  his  eager 
auditor,  "  you  surprise  me.  I  must  say  I 
had  no  idea  that  the  movement  had  made 
such  progress  in  this  direction.  I  should 
hardly  have  imagined  that  there  was  sufficient 
support  among  the  local  population  to  sus 
tain  such  an  establishment." 

"  The  people,  sir,  are  rapidly  awaking  to 
its  advantages,  sir.  The  support  of  the 
system  is  now  nearly  universal,  sir.  The  old 
methods  are  almost  discarded,  sir." 

"Indeed!  this  is  most  encouraging  and 
most  important.  But  pray  tell  me  of  the 
facilities  for  urning  --  " 

"Earning  facilities,"  interrupted  the 
general,  expanding  visibly:  "My  dear  sir, 


an  1Fncjbau0tlble  fliMne.  159 

the  earning  capacity  would  astound  you- — it 
would  astound  you,  sir.  The  results  will  fill 
you  with  amazement.  You  must  judge  for 
yourself,  sir.  You  must  see  it  in  person,  sir. " 

"  If  it  happened  so  that  I  might  really  ob 
serve  the  practical  operation  of  the  pro 
cess " 

"  You  shall  observe  it  to-morrow,  sir.  I 
am  on  my  way  thither  for  that  especial  pur 
pose." 

"Indeed!  indeed!  Are  you  summoned 
on  this  especial  occasion,  may  I  inquire,  by 
ties  of  personal  interest?  Is  a  friend — or 
relative  ? 

"  A  friend,  sir ;  a  warm  personal  friend ; 
a  man,  sir,  of  wealth  and  influence;  a  man 
who  was  prominently  identified  with  the  new 
system,  sir,  but  he  has  been  called  to  other — 
er " 

"Ah,  yes.  Ah,  yes.  I  understand  you, 
sir.  Though  a  stranger,  I  assure  you  sin 
cerely  that  the  day  would  be  to  me  one  of 
rare  interest;  certainly  a  very  unusual  op 
portunity,  sir;  but  really  my  plans  are  al 
ready  shaped.  I  am  now  on  my  way  to  ex 
amine  a  similar  structure  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  perhaps  the  most  perfect  in  its  ap 
pointments  of  any  in  the  country." 


160  people  at  flMsgab. 

"  My  dear  sir,  let  me  give  you  my  personal 
assurance,  based  upon  careful  investigation, 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  State  of  New 
York  entitled  to  a  moment's  consideration, 
in  comparison  with  what  I  can  exhibit  within 
a  few  miles  of  where  we  are  now  speaking. 
Indeed,  I  believe  we  are  now  approaching 
the  station. " 

In  the  very  brief  time  that  remained, 
General  Smoot  poured  into  the  dull  but  ap 
preciative  ear  of  his  latest  acquaintance  a 
glowing  appeal  for  the  immediate  inspection 
of  the  object  of  their  mutual  interest. 

The  gentleman  was  torn  by  conflicting 
emotions,  but  at  the  very  last  moment  con 
cluded  to  disembark,  which  he  did;  leaving, 
as  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  afterward  discovered, 
several  boxes  and  bundles  scattered  about  his 
seat. 

At  the  last  glimpse  which  Dr.  Van  Nuynth 
lee  obtained,  General  Pealer  E.  Smoot  was 
assisting  his  prospective  customer  across  the 
platform,  and  bending  over  him  with  def 
erential  solicitude. 

Knowing  nothing  of  their  mutual  mis 
take,  the  doctor,  of  course,  did  not  consider 
the  probable  results  of  their  mutual  disap 
pointment. 


XII. 

A    CONVIVIAL   REUNION". 

T  about  eight  o'clock,  they  readied 
a  "junction"  which  proved,  like 
all  of  its  name,   a  dis-junction, 
and  where  it  was  necessary  to  wait 
nearly  an  hour  for  the  out-going  train. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  wandered  restlessly 
into  the  "  deepo,"  and  began  to  examine  the 
railway  maps  upon  the  walls. 

He  observed  that  Vermont  is  exceptionally 
rich  injunctions.  Her  railways  are  laid  out 
at  right  angles  with  each  other,  as  nearly  as 
topographical  conditions  would  permit,  and 
each  and  every  angle  has — and  is — a  junction. 
A  brief  study  of  the  time  tables  convinced 
him  that  the  periods  for  which  the  travel 
ler  was  scheduled  to  await  his  "  connecting 
train,"  varied  from  a  fleeting  hour  to  unde 
termined  stretches  of  duration  lost  in  the 
awful  abysm  of  eternity. 

The  curiosities  displayed  upon  the  lunch 
counter  attracted  his  notice.      There  were 
161 


Ipcople  at 


specimens  of  fossilized  sponge  cake,  and  of 
some  early  stratified  formation  exhibited  un 
der  the  pleasant  pseudonym  of  ham  sand 
wiches.  He  observed,  also,  an  ingenious 
fly-trap,  which  happened  to  be  labelued: 
"  Old-fashioned  Molasses  Gingerbread." 

But  the  object  of  especial  interest  was  an 
edible  conglomerate  peculiar  to  Vermont 
junctions.  It  is  a  hybrid,  obtained  by  cross 
ing  the  ordinary  household  doughnut  with  a 
dried  apple  turnover.  In  structural  design 
and  durability,  as  well  as  in  elasticity  of  tex 
ture,  it  might  be  described  as  a  fried  wood- 
chuck  trap.  The  doctor  refreshed  himself 
with  a  glass  of  raspberry  "srub,"  and  took  a 
seat  by  a  window.  Outside,  an  asthmatic 
freight  engine  wheezed  back  and  forth,  first 
on  one  side,  then  on  the  other,  till  it  found 
the  best  location  for  belching  its  tartarean 
fumes  into  the  waiting-room. 

Doctor  Van  Nuynthlee  wondered  whether 
all  the  other  junctions  were  like  this  junc 
tion. 

An  overgrown  youth  clumped  up  in  a 
heavy  pair  of  cowhide  boots  over  which  he 
had  imperfect  control,  and  confided  to  the 
doctor  that  he  was  "  li'ble  to  turns,  and  kinder 
liked  ter  set  'longside  o'  some  feller  that  was 


B  Convivial  Reunion.  163 

stout-built  and  willing  to  make  hisself 
handy."  The  doctor  walked  to  the  door 
in  search  of  a  more  cheering  prospect. 

Through  the  deepening  gloom,  he  saw 
immediately  in  front  a  cemetery,  provided 
evidently  for  the  accommodation  of  waiting 
wayfarers  who  might  sink  under  wasting  and 
lingering  afflictions,  or  for  such  as  should  be 
suddenly  stricken  down  at  the  lunch  counter. 

At  last  the  train  appeared. 

He  hoped  on  the  next  stage  of  the  journey 
to  have  a  seat  to  himself,  and  snatch  a  little 
much-needed  sleep;  but  the  car  gradually 
filled,  and  at  the  last  moment  he  was  obliged 
to  share  his  place  with  a  stout,  oleaginous 
man  carrying  two  cotton  umbrellas,  and  a 
distended  carpet-bag  of  unique  pattern,  who 
squeezed  himself  and  his  belongings  into  the 
seat. 

After  several  ineffectual  efforts  to  open 
conversation,  he  continued  to  squirm  un 
easily  in  his  crowded  quarters,  until  during 
a  long  stop  at  a  way-station,  he  exclaimed  in 
tones  which,  as  his  voice  was  a  rich  but  in 
termittent  falsetto,  riveted  the  attention  of 
the  whole  car: 

"  Thar  naow,  I  knowed  I'd  seen  yer  some 
where.  I  was  to  the  circus  to  Dothan  Mills 


164  people  at 


this  mornin',  an'  jesnow,  as  I  was  a-thinkin' 
on't  over,  that  air  donkey  put  me  in  mind 
o'  who  you  was.  Yew  wear  yer  claown 
clothes  all  the  whole  o'  the  time,  don't  ye? 

"Yew  needn't  look  so  meachin,"  he 
hastened  to  add,  observing  the  doctor's  ex 
pression  of  disgust  ;  "  that  was  one  o'  the  best 
things  in  the  hull  show  —  one  o'  the  best. 
Yew  done  noble.  I  should  admire  ter  see  it 
agin.  Mebbe  yew  might  dew  a  leetle  suthin' 
naow  to  amooze  the  '  folks  in  the  car  ;  trav- 
lin's  dreffle  tejus. 

"My  name's  Blum,"  he  continued  after 
many  inquiries  as  to  his  companion's  sup 
posed  profession,  and  prodding  him  from 
time  to  time  to  restore  attention  :  "  My 
name's  Blum  —  B.  Franklin  Blum.  I  make 
it  my  home  ter  Dothan  Mills,  but  I'm  agoin' 
aout  West  along  o'  my  niece  Mar  illy  Blum  — 
or  Marilly  Stillins  that  is  naow.  That's  her 
an'  Hen  Stillins  that  came  inter  the  car  with 
me.  They're  weddiners  —  jest  merried  this 
mornin'.  We  all  went  ter  the  circus,  an' 
naow  they're  goin'  aout  to  Nebrasky  where 
Hen  lives.  They're  taking  me  along  as  fur 
as  loway,  where  my  son  W.  Peleg  Blum  is 
stoppin'." 

The  "  weddiners  "  began  to  wriggle  about, 


B  Convivial  "Reunion.  165 

as  their  personal  history  and  prospects,  in 
teresting  features  of  their  courtship,  etc., 
etc.,  were  detailed  in  tones  which  made  an 
interested  listener  of  every  person  in  the  car. 
To  their  evident  relief  the  conversation 
shifted,  after  a  time,  to  his  own  affairs  and 
bodily  ills. 

The  existing  ailments  were  of  slight  mo 
ment  compared  with  what  he  seemed  to  pres 
age  for  the  future.  "  I've  hed  five  brothers 
as  died  of  apperplexy,"  he  said  in  ominous 
accents,  "  one  arter  the  other,  just  when 
they  come  ter  be  abaout  my  time  o'  life. 
They  wuz  a  shade  fleshier  than  what  be  I; 
but  I'm  a-gainin',"  added  Mr.  Blum  de- 
spondingly,  "I'm  a-gainin'. 

"Naow  you're  some  different,"  he  con 
tinued,  after  observing  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee 
with  gloomy  concern :  "  I  dunno  whuther 
yew  know  it  or  not;  but  you're  built  jest 
right  for  fits — jest  right  for  fits." 

Goaded  to  desperation,  the  doctor  went 
forward  to  the  only  vacant  seat  in  the  car 
beside  a  woman  with  two  children,  one  of 
whom  persisted  in  hanging  over  his  knee, 
and  beating  a  tattoo  on  his  lower  extremities, 
while  the  other  wailed  continuously  in  its 
mother's  arms.  It  interfered  with  the  doc- 


166  people  at 


tor's  coveted  repose,  but  it  was  better  than 
Mr.  Blum. 

The  doctor  was  amazed  at  the  frequency 
of  stops,  and  at  the  multitude  of  stations, 
after  their  kind,  in  each  township.  Thus, 
after  passing  South  Squeechee,  East 
Squeechee  and  Squeechee  Falls,  there  would 
be  a  prolonged  stop  at  North  Squeechee. 
Then  the  train  would  be  dragged  to  some 
other  Squeechee.  As  near  as  a  passenger 
might  interpret  the  vociferations  of  the 
brakeman,  it  was  Northwest  Squeechee. 
Then  a  run  of  brief  duration  to  what  the 
doctor  understood  to  be  Nor'west  by  West 
Squeechee.  Then  still  another  Squeechee, 
apparently  W.  N.  W.  Squeechee.  In  due 
season  the  brakeman  would  begin,  in  inar 
ticulate  bellowings,  to  box  the  compass 
in  an  adjoining  town.  The  circuit  of  each 
town's  circumference  was  not  sufficiently 
rapid  to  make  the  head  swim,  but  it  was 
valuable  discipline  for  any  one  desirous  of 
tending  toward  some  definite  quarter  of  the 
horizon. 

A  disagreeable  boy  passed  through  the  car 
from  time  to  time,  hawking  various  wares 
which  he  deposited  upon  the  persons  of 
passengers,  and  which,  out  of  the  respect  al- 


21  Convivial  IReunion.  167 

ways  due  to  age,  were  generally  allowed  to 
await  his  return  undisturbed. 

He  would  recede  into  achamber  of  horrors 
somewhere  near  the  engine,  and  return,  now 
with  apples,  again  with  lemonade  drops,  and 
anon  with  "corn  balls,"  clammily  soldered 
with  molasses.  After  a  brief  respite,  he 
would  reappear  with  literary  matter,  either 
dry  and  ancient  as  his  figs,  or  unwholesome 
as  his  bananas. 

At  Eutland,  which  was  reached  at  about 
half -past  eleven,  a  longer  period  of  waiting 
was  to  follow ;  and  was  rather  welcome  to  the 
weary  traveller,  as  it  enabled  him  to  go  to  a 
hotel  for  several  hours  of  sound  repose. 

This  was  his  first  thought,  upon  learning 
that  his  train  would  not  leave  until  5 :45  in 
the  morning;  but  the  ticket  agent,  whom 
he  consulted,  suggested  the  better  plan  of 
turning  in  at  once  in  a  sleeping-car  that  was 
waiting  upon  a  side  track,  to  be  attached  to 
the  early  train.  The  doctor  at  once  engaged 
a  berth,  and  hastened  out  to  have  it  made  up. 

This  fortunate  arrangement  was  due  to  the 
Grand  Army  reunion,  which  had  been  in 
progress  during  tne  day  at  Eutland,  the  car 
being  specially  intended  for  the  accommoda 
tion  of  a  returning  delegation  of  veterans 


168  people  at 


from  New  York  State.  As  they  had  been 
prolonging  the  social  pleasures  of  the  re 
union,  and  had  devoted  the  later  evening  to 
a  little  supper  and  refreshment  after  the  fa 
tigues  of  the  day,  the  doctor  had  been  al 
lowed  abundant  time  to  compose  himself  for 
the  night,  before  they  were  ready  to  seek 
their  quarters  in  the  "sleeper."  He  had 
been  sound  asleep  for  about  fifteen  minutes 
—long  enough  to  sink  into  the  very  depths 
of  oblivious  slumber. 

When  the  noisy  excursionists  entered  the 
car,  he  did  not  immediately  awake.  His  reg 
ular  and  very  audible  breathing  continued 
for  some  moments.  Then  followed  several 
broken,  irregular  puffings  from  behind  the 
closed  curtains. 

The  veterans  hushed  their  noisy  demon 
strations  to  await  developments.  There  was 
a  violent,  explosive  snort,  and  commotion 
within.  The  curtain  was  jerked  aside,  and 
the  startled  face  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  ap 
peared.  Not  half  awakened,  his  eyes  were 
dazzled  by  the  bright  lights.  The  notion 
first  occurred  to  his  bewildered  brain  that  it 
was  broad  daylight.  "Huh!  er  —  er"  —  he 
ejaculated  wildly  to  the  crowd:  "Is  this 
Saratoga?  Have  I  —  er  —  time  to  dress?" 


a  Convivial  IReunion.  169 

The  varied  responses  thus  called  forth  re 
assured  the  doctor  as  to  the  immediate  neces 
sity  of  arising,  and  after  looking  at  his  watch, 
he  sank  back  despondently  upon  his  pillow. 
In  such  a  babel  of  hilarity,  he  found  that 
sleep  was  impossible.  None  of  the  veterans 
seemed  to  think  of  retiring.  Most  of  them 
extemporized  card-tables  as  if  to  make  a 
night  of  it.  One  individual,  in  a  state  of 
unreasonable  inebriety,  became  possessed  of 
the  conviction  that  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  had 
a  pack  of  cards  which  he  was  reluctant  to 
loan.  The  doctor  put  his  head  out  between 
the  curtains,  and  assured  him  in  unmis 
takable  terms  that  this  was  not  the  case. 

After  a  short  silence  the  request  was  re 
peated:  "  Wuncher  lemme  take  yer  cards?  " 
The  doctor  took  no  notice  of  the  inquiry. 
"  You  needn't  be  so  skeered  of  your  old  cards. 
I'll  pay  yer  for  the  use  ovvum." 

The  doctor  was  obliged  to  invoke  all  the 
powers  of  his  eloquence  before  he  could  ob 
tain  relief.  His  mind,  thus  excited,  reverted 
to  the  events  of  the  past  two  days  and  their 
probable  consequences,  and  it  would  have 
been  difficult  for  him  to  sleep  again  under 
the  most  favorable  circumstances.  The 
games  of  cards  were  long  and  exciting.  It 


170  people  at  flMsgab. 

was  toward  morning  when  the  veterans  be 
gan  to  retire  to  their  berths.  Two  en 
thusiastic  revellers,  who  had  secured  the 
berth  above  the  doctor,  were  among  the  last 
to  turn  in,  and  were  long  in  composing 
themselves  to  slumber. 

It  was  after  daybreak,  and  the  doctor  was 
overpowered  with  drowsiness;  but  one  anx 
iety  still  kept  him  awake.  He  was  so  im 
pressed  with  the  awful  possibility  of  over 
sleeping,  that  he  resolutely  kept  awake  until 
after  the  car  was  attached  to  the  train,  and 
the  conductor,  as  well  as  the  porter,  had 
given  solemn  pledges  to  arouse  him. 

The  train  was  due  at  Saratoga  at  8:40, 
allowing  two  full  hours  of  welcome  rest. 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  was  soon  asleep,  and  his 
exhausted  system  asserted  its  claim  to  deep, 
restful  slumber. 

The  next  sensation  of  which  he  was  con 
scious,  was  a  sharp  blow  on  one  of  his  legs. 
One  of  the  veterans,  having  begun  to  dress, 
with  rather  unsteady  nerves  had  dropped  a 
shoe  upon  the  doctor's  knee  as  it  projected 
over  the  edge  of  the  berth.  He  raised  him 
self  instantly,  with  eyes  half  opened,  and  ex 
claimed,  "  Oh !  ah !  er — yes — I  was  just  going 
to  jump  up." 


B  Convivial  IReunion.  171 

But  as  he  became  fully  awake,  he  observed 
two  legs  dangling  before  his  eyes  from  the 
berth  above,  with  blue  woollen  socks  settled 
about  the  ankle. 

A  suspicion  that  he  had  overslept  broke 
upon  the  doctor's  mind.  For  a  moment  he 
listened  breathlessly.  The  owner  of  the 
dangling  limbs  was  endeavoring  to  dress, 
and  seemed  exerting  himself  to  complete  the 
conventional  connections  between  certain  of 
his  garments.  After  considerable  grunting 
and  squirming,  the  doctor  heard  him  re 
mark  to  his  companion  in  gruff  and  queru 
lous  tones:  "  Sumthin's  bust  in  the  night. 
Some  button's  give  way." 

The  doctor  clawed  around  until  he  found 
his  watch,  and  gazed  at  it  with  the  glare  of 
a  maniac.  It  was  but  twenty  minutes  after 
six.  He  had  been  asleep  less  than  an  hour. 

He  was  now  so  thoroughly  aroused  that 
he  gave  up  all  hope  of  sleep;  and  after  lying 
in  the  berth  for  half  an  hour  longer,  rose 
and  made  his  toilet. 

The  long  train,  with  its  crowded  cars, 
dragged  more  and  more  slowly.  Some  func 
tional  debility  in  the  engine  increased  the 
usual  delays  of  an  excursion  train.  Even 
this  reduced  vitality  was  largely  wasted  in 


172  jpeopte  at 


nerve-dissecting  whistlings.  All  the  cows 
along  the  line  seemed  to  have  broken  loose 
from  their  indifferent  pasturage,  to  crop  the 
luxuriant  herbage  between  the  rails.  The 
doctor  learned  that  the  train  was  already 
about  an  hour  behind  schedule  time. 

At  Saratoga,  the  culminating  session  of 
the  Interdenominational  Ecumenical  Con 
gress,  set  apart  for  the  address  of  Dr.  Van 
Nuynthlee,  was  to  convene  at  half  after  nine 
o'clock  for  the  accommodation  of  delegates 
anxious  to  depart  by  early  trains.  Unless 
the  train  "  made  up"  lost  time,  it  could  not 
reach  Saratoga  until  after  that  hour.  And 
there  was  no  sign  of  "  making  up."  On  the 
contrary,  they  were  now  reaching  the  region 
where  the  veterans  commenced  to  disembark 
—  always  with  great  deliberation.  No  ac 
commodation  train  was  ever  more  accommo 
dating.  The  train  began  to  slow  up  at 
every  cross-road.  Then  the  doctor,  in  de 
lirious  anxiety,  fancied  that  it  stopped  at 
every  telegraph  pole.  Soon  it  paused  at  the 
end  of  each  particular  rail  on  the  track,  then 
at  every  cross  tie. 

When  it  came  to  a  final  stop  in  the  station 
at  Saratoga,  the  hands  of  the  clock  pointed 
to  10:21. 


XIII. 

THE   ECUMENICAL    COXGEESS. 


T  the  Convention  Hall,  a  few  dele 
gates  had  gathered  about  the  door 
as  early  as  nine  o'clock.  A  quar 
ter  of  an  hour  later,  they  were 
pouring  in  in  great  masses.  By  half  after 
nine  the  immense  auditorium  was  packed  to 
suffocation. 

About  the  desk  a  group  of  distinguished 
gentlemen  are  engaged  in  earnest  and  anxious 
conversation.  They  cast  frequent  looks  of 
eager  expectation  toward  the  main  entrance. 
Ther  ebegin  to  be  indications  of  restless  in 
quiry  throughout  the  vast  audience. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  venerable  President 
Stuart  Eobertson,  the  chairman  of  the  occa 
sion,  explains  that  the  arrival  of  the  distin-" 
guished  orator  of  the  day  has  been  unfort 
unately  delayed,  but  that  several  telegrams 
received  this  morning  offer  assurance  that 
their  patience  will  soon  be  more  than  re 
warded. 

12      •  173 


174  people  at  jpfegab. 

At  the  suggestion  of  Prof.  Meade,  the 
great  assembly  united  in  the  stirring  music 
of  a  grand  and  familiar  hymn. 

After  another  pause,  and  considerable  so 
licitation  from  President  Robertson,  Arch 
deacon  Marrow  utters  a  few  words  of  con 
gratulation  upon  the  work  accomplished  by 
the  Congress.  Other  eminent  guests  of  the 
Congress  are,  with  some  difficulty,  induced 
to  aid  in  occupying  the  time. 

Finally,  a  few  delegates,  who  were  anxious 
to  connect  with  early  homeward  trains, 
and  who  despair  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  ap 
pearance,  begin  to  slip  out  of  the  hall.  The 
movement  becomes  more  general.  Gentle 
men  gather  here  and  there  in  groups,  and 
the  assemblage  gives  indications  of  break 
ing  up. 

President  Eobertson  and  others  occupying 
places  of  honor  on  the  platform  eagerly  strive 
to  stem  the  tide.  They  announce  that  the 
news  from  messengers  and  telegrams  all 
indicates  that  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  arrival 
may  be  expected  at  any  moment. 

The  effect  is  only  temporary.  Toward  half 
after  ten  o'clock,  a  considerable  part  of  the 
great  congregation  has  departed.  The  re 
mainder  is  disorganized  and  very  impatient. 


^Ecumenical  Congress.          175 


This  was  the  situation,  when  a  commotion 
'about  the  door  announced  the  appearance  of 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee.  As  he  entered  the 
hall,  there  was  a  general  movement  to  wel 
come  him,  and  ask  the  cause  of  his  delay. 
The  doctor  rather  evaded  such  inquiries,  and 
passed  forward  as  directly  as  possible  to  the 
platform.  A  few  moments  were  occupied 
in  greeting  the  distinguished  gentlemen 
gathered  there,  and  President  Eobertson 
then  stepped  forward  and  uttered  a  few 
words  of  courteous  and  appropriate  intro 
duction. 

Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  arose,  and  advanced 
with  commanding  dignity  to  the  desk.  In 
the  surpassing  significance  of  the  occasion, 
the  petty  annoyances  of  the  past  few  days 
were  forgotten.  Yet  it  was  too  much  to  ex 
pect  to  see  the  doctor  at  his  best. 

In  such  a  presence,  to  be  sure,  mere  ex 
ternals  would  count  for  little;  but  certain 
things,  strange  and  disquieting,  could  not 
be  unnoticed. 

Since  the  speaker's  collision  with  Deacon 
Meiggs'  stove,  his  wonted  benignity  of 
countenance  has  been  marred  by  a  strip  of 
court-plaster  across  the  nose,  and  a  protuber 
ant  discoloration  over  one  eye.  Prolonged 


176  people  at  fiMsgab. 

exposure  to  the  sun  has  roughened  and  in 
flamed  his  visage. 

Since  his  tardy  arrival,  there  has  been  no 
time  to  invoke  the  good  offices  of  a  barber. 

From  the  moment  when  the  writer  laid 
down  his  pen  at  daybreak  on  Tuesday,  there 
has  been  no  leisure  to  review  the  hasty  pen 
manship.  This  disadvantage,  coupled  with 
a  certain  unsteadiness  of  nerve,  lent  to  the 
doctor's  delivery  at  times  a  trifling  incoher 
ence.  This  was  not  lessened  by  his  efforts  to 
abbreviate,  out  of  regard  to  the  long  detention 
of  the  audience.  The  portion  of  the  dis 
course,  which  depicted  the  insignificance  of 
chance  and  circumstance  in  the  individual 
life,  was  passed  over  in  special  haste.  This 
modification  may  have  weakened  slightly  the 
superstructure  of  analogy  and  induction,  but 
under  the  spell  of  eloquence  it  was  not  likely 
to  attract  attention. 

The  general  effect  was  powerful  and  im 
pressive,  and  the  orator  was  surrounded  at 
the  close  with  flattering  congratulations. 
The  delegates  were  so  anxious  to  turn  home 
ward,  that  the  hall  was  soon  almost  empty. 
President  Robertson  and  Bishop  Onderdonk 
accompanied  Doctor  Van  Nuynthlee  down  the 
aisle.  At  the  door  he  excused  himself,  say- 


Ecumenical  Congress.          177 


ing  that  he  would  look  for  his  valise  and 
umbrella,  which  had  been  handed  to  an  at 
tendant  on  his  hurried  arrival,  and  join 
them  later  at  their  hotel. 

As  the  attendant  was  not  at  the  moment 
in  sight,  the  doctor  proceeded  himself  to 
the  parlor  where  his  belongings  had  been 
placed.  It  was  darkened  by  drawn  curtains, 
but  seats  for  twenty  or  thirty  persons  ranged 
about  the  room,  indicated  that  it  had  been 
used  as  a  committee  room  during  the  sessions 
of  the  Congress. 

The  doctor  closed  the  door,  and  seated 
himself  fora  moment  in  the  large,  comforta 
ble  chair  which  had  evidently  been  used  by 
the  presiding  officer  at  meetings  of  com 
mittees. 

Opening  his  valise  to  replace  his  manu 
script,  he  noticed  a  carefully  tied  newspaper 
parcel  which  he  had  no  recollection  of  seeing 
before.  The  doctor  unrolled  the  paper, 
bringing  to  view  a  bountiful  and  substantial 
lunch. 

During  his  absence  on  the  previous  day  at 
Dothan  Mills,  Mrs.  Meiggs  had  kindly  pre 
pared  this  refreshment,  and  taking  it  to  his 
room,  had  laid  it  in  his  valise  which  stood 
open,  and  nearly  packed,  upon  the  table. 


178  ipcople  at 


When  Doctor  Van  Nuynthlee  returned,  being 
in  haste  to  avoid  Major  Peavy  and  to  set  out 
for  the  evening  train,  he  threw  into  the 
valise  his  manuscript  and  a  few  small  articles 
which  were  still  unpacked,  snapped  the  bag 
together,  and  left  the  house  without  being 
aware  of  Mrs.  Meiggs'  thoughtful  atten 
tion. 

There  were  hard-boiled  eggs,  doughnuts  of 
familiar  pattern,  and  a  product  of  culinary 
miscegenation  called  marble  cake. 

Mrs  Meiggs,  or  perhaps  Aunt  Olympia, 
had  added  a  little  of  that  refresh  ing  beverage 
—  cold  tea.  A  flask,  in  which  some  whiskey 
had  been  obtained  when  Grandfather  Meiggs 
was  suffering  from  chills  in  the  spring,  being 
of  convenient  size  and  shape,  had  been  used 
as  the  receptacle  for  this  beverage. 

With  a  smile  the  doctor  laid  the  paper  and 
its  contents  on  another  chair  beside  him, 
and  remained  seated  for  a  short  time  to  rest 
and  collect  his  thoughts.  The  relief  from 
worry  and  vexation  was  unspeakably  soothing 
and  delightful.  To  have  avoided  any  ex 
posure  to  petty  criticism  or  curious  gossip 
was  not  the  least  source  of  gratification. 

Upon  the  chair  in  which  he  was  seated  a 
number  of  papers  and  printed  documents 


tlbe  Ecumenical  Congress.          179 

were  scattered,  but  in  the  dim  light  he  had 
hardly  noticed  them. 

The  doctor  was  aware,  of  course,  that  the 
National  Convention  of  the  Women's  Chris 
tian  Temperance  Union  was  to  follow  the 
Ecumenical  Congress  at  Saratoga. 

Among  members  of  his  own  church  this 
movement  received  hearty  co-operation.  It 
was  one  of  the  good  works  in  which  Miss 
Prudence  Winthrop  found  scope  for  her  rare 
executive  talents.  Of  course  she  had  been 
selected  as  a  delegate  to  the  convention ;  and 
when  it  was  learned  that  the  secretary  of 
the  Union  would  be  unable  to  attend,  she  had 
naturally  been  called  to  the  vacant  post. 

Her  duties  required  Miss  Winthrop  to  at 
tend  the  preliminary  meeting  of  the  Commit 
tee  on  Arrangements,  which  had  been  called 
at  noon  to-day  to  discuss  the  plans  of  the  fol 
lowing  week. 

With  characteristic  energy,  she  had  visited 
the  convention  building  in  the  morning,  and 
finding  that  the  closing  session  of  the  Ecu 
menical  Congress  was  likely  to  be  extended 
until  twelve  o'clock,  had  thought  a  half- 
hour's  postponement  of  the  ladies'  meeting 
advisable. 

A  number  of  printed  reports  and  other 


180  people  at  ptegab. 

documents  which  might  safely  be  left  in  the 
room  in  the  mean  time,  she  had  tossed  into 
the  large  chair  by  the  desk,  and  had  hurried 
away  to  notify  other  members  of  the  com 
mittee. 

But  Dr.  Van  Nunythlee  was  unconscious 
of  being  seated  upon  documents  of  any 
kind. 

During  the  continuous  strain  of  the  past 
two  weeks,  anxiety  in  regard  to  the  great 
duty  before  him  had  never  been  absent  from 
his  mind.  Throughout  this  period  he  had 
been  almost  absolutely  without  rest. 

Against  a  weariness  of  mind  and  body, 
which  after  three  sleepless  and  harassing 
nights  had  become  almost  overpowering,  he 
had  been  nerved  by  a  sense  of  imperative 
obligation.  Now  that  the  duty  had  been 
actually  performed  and  this  tremendous  ten 
sion  was  relaxed,  there  had  been  an  inevita 
ble  reaction. 

He  had  closed  his  eyes  for  a  moment  of 
absolute  rest.  Seated  in  this  comfortable 
chair,  he  had  unconsciously  yielded  to  the 
fatigue  which  overwhelmed  him.  Soon  he 
sank  into  the  helpless  slumber  of  utter  ex 
haustion. 

The  little  ornamental  clock  on  the  mantel 


Bcumenlcal  Congress.          181 


ticked  away  the  minutes  to  a  quarter  after 
twelve  —  to  half  after  twelve. 

There  are  sounds  of  bustling  activity  in 
the  hall-way  leading  to  the  committee  room. 

The  committee  of  the  Women's  Christian 
Temperance  Union  are  assembling.  The 
ladies  are  about  twenty  in  number. 

What  a  noble  band  of  women!  What 
earnest  enthusiasm!  What  vigorous  energy! 
How  just  the  retribution  of  any  intox 
icated  wretch  who  should  haplessly  intrude 
upon  their  councils.  No  !  It  is  not  possible 
that  they  can  misconstrue  the  condition  of 
Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  in  the  darkened  room. 
And  yet  the  impression  of  the  first  moment 
may  possibly  be  misleading. 

His  attitude  and  condition  at  this  hour  of 
the  day  are  certainly  unusual.  Had  they 
not  been  engrossed  in  such  earnest  conversa 
tion,  the  ladies  must  have  been  forewarned 
by  the  regular  and  sonorous  breathing  which 
emanated  from  the  room.  As  it  is,  they 
will  unquestionably  be  startled  at  the  first 
glance. 

The  doctor  has  now  slid  down  quite  low 
in  the  chair,  his  legs  stretching  far  out  in 
front  in  an  attitude  of  helpless  collapse. 
His  arms  hang  limp  by  his  sides.  His  head 


182  people  at 


has  sunk  forward  on  his  breast.  His  mouth 
and  other  features  share  in  the  general 
relaxation.  His  lack  of  sleep  has  left  its 
trace  in  a  noticable  redness  about  the  eyes. 

The  appearance  of  his  hair,  still  permeated 
by  traces  of  the  soot,  is  not  such  as  to  inspire 
confidence.  The  imfortunate  contusion 
above  the  eye,  with  the  patch  across  the 
nose,  cannot  but  suggest  some  recent  alter 
cation.  The  total  lack  of  expression  adds  a 
sinister  disguise  to  his  fiery  and  unshaven 
features. 

His  waistcoat  being  loosened  at  the  top, 
and  being  thrown  somewhat  open  by  his 
present  posture,  a  narrow  ray  of  light  is  call 
ing  attention  to  the  great  unclerical  diamond 
in  his  shirt  front. 

It  is  plain  that  even  the  ladies  from  his 
own  church  will  not  at  once  recognize  him. 

The  silk  hat,  much  damaged  by  its  experi 
ence  at  the  circus,  lies  upon  the  carpet  in 
front.  On  the  chair  beside  him  is  the  open 
newspaper  wrapper,  displaying  its  varied 
contents. 

There,  in  plain  sight,  is  the  black  flask, 
with  its  suspicious  liquid.  The  druggist's 
label  has  been  mostly  removed,  but  the  final 
letters,  K  E  Y,  are  still  plainly  visible. 


Ecumenical  Congress.          183 


Will  the  ladies  indeed  believe  this  to  be 
the  key  to  the  situation?  All  these  particu 
lars  must  attract  attention,  for  under  the  doc 
tor's  supremely  unconscious  person  are  the 
papers  left  by  Miss  Winthrop,  without  which 
the  committee  can  do  no  business.  Ends  of 
the  documents  can  here  and  there  be  seen 
protruding  appealingly  around  the  edge  of 
the  chair. 

Plainly  it  will  be  necessary  to  arouse  him. 
Unfortunately,  as  has  been  observed,  Dr. 
Van  Nuynthlee  does  not  awaken  readily  from 
a  sound  sleep  ;  but  when  he  is  once  fairly 
aroused,  Miss  Winthrop  and  others  of  the 
ladies  will  —  after  a  time  —  recognize  him. 
Then  explanations  will  be  easy  and  simple. 
Indeed,  any  future  consequences  of  Dr.  Van 
Nunythlee's  stay  amid  the  Green  Hills  would 
be  too  petty  and  insignificant  to  follow 
further. 

It  was  a  fortunate  incident  which  offers 
an  opportunity  to  take  leave  of  him  in  the 
atmosphere  of  such  a  grand  and  congenial 
work,  and  in  the  gracious  presence  of  gentle 
sympathetic  woman. 

It  will  be  a  pleasure  to  Miss  Winthrop 
when  she  can  meet  Mrs.  Suydam  and  talk 
freely  of  summer  happenings,  to  recall  this 


184  people  at  pfsgab. 

charming,  informal  meeting  in  the  com 
mittee  room,  and  to  compare  it  with  the 
incidents  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee's  vacation  in 
Vermont.  How  creditable,  then,  will  seem 
his  hearty  interest  in  the  rural  festivities 
at  the  circus;  and,  pleasantest  of  all,  the 
chance  interview  with  the  ladies  while  driv 
ing  home  the  cow — that  idyllic  picture,  dear 
to  the  pastoral  fancy. 

It  is  possible  that  Miss  Winthrop  may  un 
consciously  cherish  traces  of  resentment 
against  the  doctor  for  transferring  his  affec 
tions  to  Mrs.  Suydam,  but  of  course  such 
motives  will  never  be  allowed  to  influence  her 
conduct. 

Indeed,  as  there  were  delegates  from  the 
Murray  Hill  Church  in  attendance  upon  both 
conventions  at  Saratoga,  there  can  be  no  dan 
ger  that  occurrences  there  will  be  incorrectly 
reported.  The  congregation  at  home  will 
be  assured  of  a  full  and  uniform  account, 
which  will  be  but  slightly  liable  to  distor 
tion  or  exaggeration,  during  the  two  short 
months  which  the  doctor  is  to  spend  abroad. 

It  would  be  both  profitable  and  agreeable 
to  go  with  him  across  the  sea,  and  to  have  a 
part  in  his  autumn  welcome  at  home;  but 
the  task  of  Dr.  Van  Nuynthlee  in  which  the 


Ecumenical  Congress.          185 


public  properly  had  an  interest  is  now  com 
pleted,  and  to  follow  him  further  would  be 
an  intrusion  on  the  well-earned  seclusion  of 
summer  leisure,  and  would  also  be  straying 
too  far  from  People  at  Pisgah. 


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